Sparks Fly

By the time they made it to the gates, the students might as well have been with the first years in boats. Everyone had to carefully run up the marble steps till they were finally safe from the storm. Hitoshi turned away from his friends as Momoka shook the water from her sleeves at them.

"Damnit, Moka!" Daich wiped the water from his face again and flicked it at the girl.

Someone came up behind them and shoulder-checked Hitoshi and Daichi as they passed. Daichi, despite being upset, held back Hitoshi from punching who turned out to be Nishikawa. The boy laughed at their reaction as he joined up with a few of his friends. Momoka rolled her eyes and grabbed the boys, dragging them over to where they couldn't look at Nishikawa. Hitoshi didn't listen to her though, he glared over at the prick and kept a hand on his wand, the pinewood fitting his calloused hands perfectly.

"Don't do anything, Toshi."

He wasn't going to, Hitoshi kept an eye on him though. There was no telling what Nishikawa was going to do, he wasn't smart enough to plan anything out.

A group of students walked by and the one closest to them slipped on the wet floor and grabbed Momoka by the shoulders. He looked terrified and just stared at her.

"Woah! Sorry, Momoka —"

"Oh hey!" Momoka gasped, helping him back onto his feet.

"Um, bye!" The boy said quickly, straightening up and looking at the ground as he quickly left to catch up with his friends.

"Who's that Moka?" Daichi shouldered her. "I didn't know you were stealing hearts —"

Momoka socked him in the shoulder. She wasn't particularly fond of people talking about her getting with anyone.

"Ok! Ok! I get it!" said Daichi holding up his hands in defense. "Let's just go to the Great Hall."

Hitoshi, Daichi, and Momoka carefully made their way to the entrance hall and through the double doors, Daichi apologizing to Momoka along the way.

The Great Hall looked like its usual self, its beautiful towering ceiling that showed the cloudy night sky flashed with lightning. For the start-of-term feast, gleaming goblets and silverware lined the four long House tables that were packed with students. The room was delightfully warmer and buzzing with conversation. Hitoshi, Daichi, and Momoka walked past their classmates and towards their table.

"I'm already tired," said Hitoshi, wiping away the water that dripped from his hair. "Hope they hurry with the sorting."

The school sorted new students into the groups that fit their characteristics and that would best assist their continued growth with the school, this just meant that once you were in a house you were stuck with them unless you wind up in a serious enough situation to be switched. Hitoshi hadn't been interested in hearing the first years get sorted since his younger brother. Now he just tuned it out and waited to eat.

"Hi, Hitoshi!"

It was some girl a year younger than Hitoshi sitting three people away. She smiled and waved at him.

Hitoshi didn't say anything, just look up at where the noise came from and then back down again.

"You guys saw that! He looked at me!"

"For god's sake," said Hitoshi.

"So are you gonna join the quidditch team this year?" said the girl, practically beaming. "I know your brother is on it but—"

"No," said Hitoshi flatly. He turned his back to the girl. "I don't play quidditch," he said. The game just wasn't for him, after he had started several fights in the middle of matches he decided to quit since the rules were too strict.

"You're always welcome back," said Daichi. "We could still use your skill, Katsuki is killing it, almost literally, but we wouldn't mind having you rejoin the team"

Hitoshi didn't respond, he instead scanned the room. The staff all sat at the head of the tables, looking out at the students. They awaited the first year so that they could kick everything off.

"How long is this going to take?" said Momoka, who was traditionally hangry at this time of night.

"Right on cue," Daichi laughed.

Hitoshi shook his head and looked around at the hundreds of students. So many students and yet, the teachers somehow managed to keep them safe despite the dangerous world they live in. They had to, after all, Hitoshi wouldn't be there if they failed, but then again, his mother was big on her boys being strong and able to fend for themselves. Hitoshi didn't have a favorite teacher, in particular, the best ones were the teachers that supervised his duels.

Up at the teacher's tables sat many famed magic users. The only teachers that Hitoshi cared to notice were Professor Rin Tamura, his Charms teacher, he's the reason Hitoshi was the skilled duelist he was. On his left was professor Shizuka Sugihara, she was in charge of Flying and didn't take too long to notice Hitoshi's talent for quidditch. On Tamura's right was professor Fumio Murai, head of Divination. Next to Murai was Professor Katsumi Endo, Head of Transfiguration, her bright smile blinding students who dared to stare into her deep green eyes.

On the opposite of the table was professor Hanoka Matsumoto who didn't look like a Herbology teacher, with her hair dyed and cut with a fade. She did however fit next to professor Aoi Ogawa who had shaved their head completely. Closest to the middle was an empty seat for professor Kenzo Yukimura, who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and was very welcoming to the new students. At the very center of the table, sat Professor Kohaku Takeuchi, the headmistress, their sandy hair shone in the candlelight, their robes a brilliant amber. The headmaster looked out at their students as if analyzing each and every one of them.

"This is taking forever" Momoka moaned, "I am tired of waiting."

Almost as soon as she said it, the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell across the room. Professor Yukimura ushered the new first years to follow him to the front of the room. Every one of them was soaked to the bone, hair sticking to their foreheads. They shivered and shook, walking till they all stood in front of the professors. Hitoshi remembered when he was in their shoes, marching into the Great Hall and seeing the other students for the first time.

Professor Yukimura set down an old stool and then an even older Wizard's hat atop it. They all stared and waited in silence. Suddenly, a long tear close to the brim opened like a mouth, and the hat broke into song.

Hitoshi didn't care for the song, though it was different every year and yet it still bored him. He couldn't even focus on the words. The only reason he noticed it was over, was because the hall erupted in cheers, so he clapped along.

"Sings a different one every year," said Hitoshi. "And yet it still isn't good."

Professor Yukimura now prepared to read the first-year names from a parchment scroll.

"When I call out your name, I'll place the hat on your head when you take a seat," He announced. "When you're told your house, please sit with your new family."

Name by name, student by student, each first-year found their houses and slowly the group got smaller and smaller. Hitoshi had almost forgotten how long this process took.

When the sorting eventually ended, Professor Yukimura picked up the hat and the stool and took them away.

"Finally," said Hitoshi, rubbing his eyes.

Professor Takeuchi stood. They were smiling at the students, their arms opened in a welcome.

"I welcome you all," They boomed. "Now dig in!"

"Thank god!" said Momoka loudly as their empty dishes filled before their very eyes. The girl giggled as she scarfed down pieces of beef and rice.

"You're so weird," said Daichi, as he cut up a slice of pork.

"She's always been like this," said Hitoshi shaking his head. He picked at the noodles in front of him. "Always been food motivated."

He couldn't blame her though, their food was prepared by many reputable wizards who specialized in culinary magic.

"There's nothing wrong with that!" said Daichi as the girl glared at the two of them. "It's perfectly fine!"

"Oh to witness the chefs work their magic and create the most amazing thing on the planet!"

Clang.

Someone knocked a goblet over and spilled its contents over Hitoshi's lap. Green tea soaked into the table cloth and Hitoshi's robes. The culprit sat in disbelief, face as pale as a ghost.

"I am so sorry!" she said, staring, horror-struck. "Here! Let me help you!"

"Hitoshi," said Daichi, looking surprised. "It's gonna be alright, stay calm."

"I am fine!" snapped Hitoshi.

"It'll be fine, Toshi!" said Momoka. She immediately pulled out her wand and said "Tergeo," and siphoned off the tea till Hitoshi's robes were dried.

Hitoshi stared at the girl who spilled the drink on him.

"Never, do that again," he said. "Got it?"

The girl nodded her head slowly and scooted away from him. She looked like she was going to cry. The rest of the students around them quietly began talking again.

"That was, surprisingly calm," Daichi said, placing his hands on the table. "I'm so glad you didn't explode her!"

Momoka laughed at the comment and put her wand away. Everyone knew to steer clear of Hitoshi and his younger brother for the reputation they carried.

"I'm not that bad," said Hitoshi, looking back down at his food. "You wouldn't want someone dumping tea on you."

"She didn't dump it on you," said Daichi, rolling his eyes. "It was an accident."

The storm carried on outside, thunder shaking the roof now and then but the floating candles stayed still. Lightning flashed and lit up the Hall with a brilliant light.

Hitoshi just gave him a look and went back to eating.

Once everyone was done with their food and said their thanks for the meal, Headmistress Takeuchi stood again. They silenced the student's chatter with a simple lift of a hand.

"Alright!" said Takeuchi, smiling at them all. "Now that we've eaten, I shall make you aware of some announcements."

"Mr. Miyamoto, the caretaker, has asked me to let you all know that the statue garden is now available for those interested. Those wanting to volunteer for the caretakers assistant extracurricular can sign up in his office if anyone would like to check it out."

Mr. Miyamoto smiled, his stern eyes making him look strange. Takeuchi continued, "I would also like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students below the third year, as is the village of Hogsmeade.

"I am also saddened to inform you that the Quidditch Cup will be canceled this year."

"What?" Daichi gasped. Looked at his friends in disbelief. They were surprised as well. Takeuchi carried on, "All is not lost though as a special event will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, I am sure you will all enjoy it in the Quidditch cup's place. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts, we have the honor of hosting an exciting event, an event that we haven't been able to enjoy for over a century. It is my pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place here, at Hogwarts!"

"You got to be kidding!" said Katsuki loudly.

Several students laughed at how blunt the blond was, and even Takeuchi let out a chuckle.

The headmaster explained what the tournament entailed after the laughter settled down. How the three largest wizarding schools have competed in the tournament for hundreds of years and had to be discontinued due to several dangerous accidents and many deaths.

"Did they mention a death toll?" Momoka whispered, looking alarmed at what Takeuchi said. She seemed to be the only one who heard it though; many of the students were excitedly chattering away to one another, and Hitoshi himself was far more interested in hearing more about the tournament than the deaths.

"Though we have unsuccessfully tried to have more tournaments," Takeuchi continued, "the departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have agreed that the time is perfect for another attempt! We have been planning this for a long time and have many safety guidelines in place so that there will be no more fatal accidents!"

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang shall arrive with several of their students in late October, and the selection of the three champions will be taking place on Halloween! An impartial judge will decide the students that are the most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory for their respective school, and a thousand Galleons as personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Hitoshi hissed, his face lit with a fire at the possibilities winning the cup would bring. At every House table, many of his classmates excitedly talked about competing. But then Takeuchi spoke again, and the Hall quieted once again.

"I know many of you would love to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," they said, "the heads of all three schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have all agreed to place an age restriction on those who intend on contending this year. Only students who are of seventeen years or older will be permitted to be considered. We feel this is necessary, as the tournament tasks will and have always been dangerous. I will say this once and only once. Do not try to bypass our impartial judge if you are not of age."

"Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in late October and will remain with us for the rest of this year until the tournament has been completed. You will treat them all with the utmost respect, them as well as Hogwart's very own champion. It is late now, so please go rest as your lessons begin tomorrow morning. Go on now!"

Takeuchi took their seat and began to speak with the professors next to them. The sound of chairs scraping against the wooden floors echoed through the room as everyone got to their feet and left through the entrance hall.

"They can't just do that!" said Katsuki, who glared daggers at the headmistress. "How can they just kick me out? I'm way more qualified to compete than that prick!"

"No one's stopping you," said Hitoshi who didn't care that his little brother just called him a prick "just make sure you don't waste all of your prize money."

"Come on," said Daichi, "I'm tired, let's get going."

Hitoshi, Daichi, Momoka, and Katsuki with his friends left the hall to the professors.

"Who do you think the judge will be?" Asked Momoka.

"No idea," said Hitoshi, "I wouldn't be surprised if it was a dragon or something."

"Yeah but that's a little unrealistic, isn't it?" said Momoka. "But didn't they say some people died!"

"Yeah," said Hitoshi, "but they said it would be different this year, sucks though, it'll probably be lame without the whole death factor."

"Are you crazy?" Momoka asked. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Are you surprised?" Yawned Daichi.

"He's always doing crazy stuff, remember he almost dueled professor Tamura? I had to drag him from the corridor till he gave up!"

The students trudged up the stairs; some steps gave out underfoot of those who failed to skip them. They were laughed at and helped along of course.

They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which of course was concealed behind a floor-length portrait of a woman in a pink dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached closer and closer.

"Mugwort," said Daichi, "please and thank you."

The portrait smiled at him and swung forward, revealing a hole in the wall. Inside, a crackling fire warmed the room furnished with many chairs and tables. Daichi waved them goodnight before trudging to the separated rooms. It wasn't long till Hitoshi did the same to Momoka and followed Daichi's steps to their dormitory, which sat at the top of the tower, separated into several rooms, two boys per room. Inside his room, two four-poster beds with maroon curtains stood against the opposing walls, each with their trunks at the foot. Daichi was already in bed but he wasn't snoring yet.

"Are you really considering it?" Daichi asked, rolling over to look at his friend.

Hitoshi buried himself under a blanket and pillow, humming at the warm comfort. He just laid there in bed, thinking of everything that was announced.

"I might," Hitoshi said with a yawn, muffled by his pillow, "I'm of age so I might."

"Just promise me you'll be careful."

He stared at the darkness behind his closed eyes. He imagined himself competing in some kind of dangerous task, like battling a dragon, barely surviving, all the adrenaline. He could see the determined grin on his face as he won the cup. He could see the students cheering but that's not what was important.

He nodded and promised himself that he would be Hogwart's champion, he'd be the one to win the cup.