No sooner had the final student sat down with their house did the Headmistress address the student body with an announcement. She did so every year, so many of the senior students paid little heed to the several reminders and changes made over the course of the summer, as these things happened and were common. However, the final announcement she gave found everyone attentive, for it was something new and exciting that few got to experience. This year the Triwizard Tournament would be taking place and, as was custom, it was slated to be hosted later that year by Hogwarts. "A handful of students will be taken along," she said, "some to compete, some to... watch, I guess."

This announcement had been made once before, during her first year. Rather than a delegation being sent out, however, the tournament came to Beauxbatons. Though somewhat hushed, a great many whispers filled the room. The delegation would take their best, their brightest, their most skilled. The dangers were many, and it was on this that Lili would later ponder in the company of her peers. The temptation to go and compete was great. Even if she was not chosen as the champion, even if she went along merely for morale support, it would be an incredible experience. She'd had the privilege of going to many places, but stepping into another school was not among these. 

And so, months later, with the group of students set to leave in the final stages of preparation, there was both excitement and anxiety hanging in the air. It was with friends now that she could discuss that school year's most recent happenings. With the announcement long behind them and the tournament looming closer, there were many questions to be asked. How would they learn? where would they sleep? Would they be allowed to associate with the students of the other schools? Would they ever want to do that? She was not ignorant of the rumors. The reputation Hogwarts had as a rather primitive establishment was spoken often, and for some of Lili's fellows that was all they needed to avoid traveling to the school in the first place. Who wanted to live in a building so horribly maintained? But, nonetheless, the schools were on relatively friendly terms when the tournaments were not occurring.

She took tea with Mihai and Roderich, her friend and her cousin, in an uninhabited corner of the dueling club's arena. It was the only place the three of them, all of different houses, could gather to talk without being told they couldn't have food or drink. The tea was plain, kept in incongruously elegant teapots on an equally elegant tray loaned by the kitchen staff. It smelled exquisite, at the very least. Lili blew upon the liquid and took a small sip. Still hot. The silverware must be enchanted because the tea had been sitting in it a good while without losing heat.

"I did some research," Lili began, setting her cup down upon the small table between the three of them, "and tournaments centuries ago seemed to have high fatality rates. That's quite worrisome, isn't it?"

The sudden exposure of her warmed hands to the cool air afflicted her briefly with a slight shiver.

"It's not like that now, of course, but to think they put students in those kinds of situations... how different it must have been."

Words: 566

Tags: MIHAI ROȘU ; @alpinekuchen

made by MISSO on THE INTERNETS

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[attr="class","reasonbig"]All the Rowboats in the Oil Paintings

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          Forever and a day

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Summer was fading all too quickly, replaced by autumn and with its falling leaves and chilly winds - he had awoken feeling a small nip in the air. He was far from those who would count each day by day but it seemed to him mere days ago that he'd woken up back home in the schloss, and not in Beauxbatons - was his last year to pass by in the blink of an eye? Of course it was hardly the norm for a last year - he'd forgotten all these years that his last year at school would have another Triwizard Tournament.

It was hard to forget now that it was all everyone could talk about. Whispers of tasks and other schools filled every hallway, classroom, and broom closet of the school and a strange sense of excitement overtook those old enough to perhaps leave with the school. Even Roderich wasn't immune from the school's changing mood, as he had written his parents for on advice on certain matters if he chose to leave to Hogwarts - even wrote his twin in Durmstrang to see if they could at least spend a few months together. Hogwarts would an interesting change of pace, even though if apparently the indoor plumbing was atrocious and the fact it was a medieval castle made it considerably drafty.

But for now he sat and enjoyed the few lukewarm days they had left at Beauxbatons, before he perhaps could leave with the Headmistress for Britain. As most enjoyable activities he partook in did, this one include having coffee and cake in the dueling club arena, now that no one but his cousin and friend were there. They had laid out a table and tray for themselves, having borrowed an enchanted teapot that when tapped with a wand could change the temperature or even pour coffee from a connected coffee pot he'd ask to be brewed in the kitchens.

"I did some research,” As his cousin began speaking, Roderich set his cup down on its saucer with a soft clink and turned his head to give Lili his attention. “And tournaments centuries ago seemed to have high fatality rates. That's quite worrisome, isn't it?" He nodded, letting her finish before speaking. "It's not like that now, of course, but to think they put students in those kinds of situations... how different it must have been."

“Of course it wouldn’t be for the faint of heart.” Roderich leaned back into his seat, racing his hands primly on his lap. “Child welfare was hardly anyone’s concern back then – not that the champions are children, technically, considering the age of maturity laws regarding participation. I suspect they’ll draw another Age Line again.”

The reminder of the Age Line reminded him that following the course of the contests, he might barely have a chance to participate in the contest – the one last time was drawn on the 27th, the day after his birthday. There hadn’t been a set date for when they’d depart for Hogwarts or the champion chosen. Perhaps…

Generally, he avoided doing obviously foolhardy things (except dueling, but that had rules), but there was an appeal to the tournament, even beyond the glory one got for participating. Certainly a chance to prove his skills, and perhaps assuage his family’s worries about his post-school plans – or Marianna’s, enough to make up for any other ‘straying from the set path’ he or his twin might find themselves doing. Enough to give him some…leeway.

Roderich picked his cup up again, bringing the cream-laden coffee up to his lips before turning his gaze to the third member of their little party, to Mihai. “It’s likely I shall attempt to participate in the tournament this time, dangers or no…”

[attr="class","reasontag"]@sunlitlilium ,MIHAI ROȘU - 625 - this sucks

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He often felt guilty that he didn’t invite Neșka to these meetings. There was but one reason not to, since she was, after all, part of the Dueling Club, had introduced him to it, so it probably wasn’t really fair that he was attending this tea party (for lack of a better word) with people she had undoubtedly known longer. He didn’t want to exclude her, liked her too much for that, but the single reason that presented itself for this to be a logical action manifested in dark-framed glasses and well-tailored robes. Roderich Edelstein, in other words.

Don’t get him wrong–Mihai was quite fond of both Neșka and Roderich, less fond of both of them in the room together. Neșka treated Roderich like a fascinating challenge, as though there was a secret to unravel at any given moment, and Roderich’s cool dismissal of her–which usually became cool politeness when Mihai was around–made the sheer awkwardness of being around them together enough to sour milk. Needless to say, Mihai preferred to avoid those situations whenever possible, even more since the tea party ritual had first been concocted by Roderich and Lili, and he had been invited, somehow, as an afterthought, and it would have felt excessively rude to demand a fourth space at the table when it would have, no doubt, invited friction. It didn’t stop him from always taking a few treats with him to split between Neșka and himself later, of which he was sure at least Lili approved.

The hot topic of their little meet-up this time was, he presumed, also the hot topic of every other conversation occurring the past few weeks. Frankly, he thought the Triwizard Tournament had already been discussed to a stage of death comparable to a deceased equine, but he tried to respect others’ excitement. It wasn’t like he wasn’t excited, after all; he had been, the first few weeks after the competition had been announced, and he was sure he would be the couple of days before their departure for Hogwarts. But how everyone maintained an apparently unwavering enthusiasm about the event when there was the incident of several magic-possessed iPhones (they apparently spoke old Latin with varying degrees of accuracy and liked to debate the correct translation of such things as iPhone and connard de merde), which were confiscated by the Ministre just three days ago, he had yet to fully understand.

It was out of his higher estimation of his friends’ conversation-setting skills that he listened in while reaching for a delicious-looking éclair. A good decision too, since it seemed that his opinion was desired at this point, as Roderich turned his attention toward him. Mihai raised an eyebrow in return, wondering if he was supposed to say anything in particular about Roderich’s desire to participate; Mihai certainly wasn’t going to discourage him, knowing he was a capable duelist at the very least, and he would be very assuredly happy to support a friend on their way to victory.

”Well, as long as they don’t decide on any more aquatic challenges, I suppose,” he said, taking a bite out of his dessert. He chewed and swallowed before continuing. ”One of the last ones they held, in the ‘90s or something, they had the contestants do a task in the Black Lake. Ours didn’t even make it past the grindylows.” Of course, he’d done his own fair share of reading on the topic, and he watched Roderich with equal parts amusement and curiosity as he relayed the information. ”Ah–that was the same year they had a maze. But hey–what are the chances of them repeating the same tasks?” He flashed a toothy grin, before devoting to the other a quick wink. ”Anything else, and I’m sure you’d perform splendidly.”

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@sunlitlilium , @alpinekuchen