Hidden Wings - Part I

The Goblet of Fire

Mioha shook her head amused as she walked with the others back into the Great Hall, passing girls who were whispering excitedly about this Viktor Krum.

"I need a quill so he can sign my bag-"

"You left it in the dungeons."

"Maybe my hat?"

Mioha quickly steered towards her usual spot at the table.

The Great Hall was decorated beautifully with four banners representing each house, as well as a large one behind the High Table with the Hogwarts crest. Candles were floating through the air and the ceiling was a midnight blue with stars sparkling all over it.

Mioha smiled approvingly as she sat down.
The Professors really had outdone themselves.

The students from Beauxbatons were seated with the Ravenclaws, while the ones from Durmstrang sat at the Slytherin table.

Many Slytherin girls tried to secretly refreshen their lipstick when the Durmstrang students came to the table, while the male Slytherins tried to appear stronger and more bulky by hunching over.

Mioha giggled to herself and raised her cup to take a sip.

She almost choked on her drink however, when Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson sat each on her left and right side.
Without a word to her, those two sat down simultaneously as if they had choreographed it.

And this was because in the next second, the Durmstrang student Viktor Krum seated himself opposite of Mioha, the only place that was left free.

And here I thought those two were seeking my company, Mioha thought sarcastically.

The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed.

Up at the staff table, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion. Mioha smiled at him as he passed her to exit the Great Hall.

"Hey Mr. Filch", she said brightly.

The caretaker gave her a short toothy grin before continuing to trudge out of the hall.

When all the students had entered the hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Professor Dumbledore's left-hand side.

The headmaster remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said Professor Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."

One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.

"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," continued Professor Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

He sat down, and Mioha saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in a conversation.

The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Mioha had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.