To France

The next two weeks go by pretty well, I don't hear the whispers again so I still don't know what they were. Our classes go by smoothly as well and it is even more fun now with the new additions to our group. Before I know it, it is the day before I have to leave for the dueling tournament.

The tournament will be one week for each round. Since it is during the school year the time is spread out. If I pass the first round I need to come back in two weeks and stay another week. I suppose there are a lot of kids so it makes sense.

Today is also Hermione's birthday. Unlike last year where it was sprung upon us by surprise we knew. Katie, Daphne, Theo, and I managed to prepare a cake for her. I also got her a book as usual. Theo's pure-blood connections were helpful for getting the cake honestly.

We end up celebrating in the Great Hall between lunch and dinner so we were the only ones there. The house-elves in the kitchen helped us set it up.

After dinner, we all end up resting in the Gryffindor common room, by all I mean Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I. The rest had already gone off to do their own thing, if not we would have to go to a study room.

I sigh as I lean back in the chair "I have to wake up early tomorrow… on a Sunday."

I hear Ron grunt from the couch "Oh shut up. You get the next week off school. I have to sweep the library with Filch tomorrow. DO YOU KNOW HOW BIG THE LIBRARY IS?"

All of us laugh at the genuine pain in his voice "I have to help McGonagall tomorrow. I don't know why Filch keeps requesting you, Ron." Harry says laughing a bit.

"Maybe he likes you?" I muse with raised brows.

Ron rolls his eyes as he grunts before slamming his face into a pillow. I laugh a bit as I stand up, "I'm going to bed. Good night, and Happy Birthday Hermione." I wave at them as I walk up the stairs.

Entering the dorms I look at the clock in annoyance 'Ugh, I have to wake up in eight hours.' As I reach my bed I plop down heavily. I lay down in the empty room still fully clothed. I don't need to sleep but I have become so used to it during the school year that it's a nice break.

When I wake up I see Ron and Harry sleeping soundly in the beds next to me and catty-corner from me. I push myself up as I look at my clock on the nightstand '3:57'.

I sigh 'Three minutes before my alarm.' I slap the top of my magic alarm clock to make sure it doesn't go off. I sit up and make sure I have everything I need ready. It's not like I need a lot, only my clothes and my identification papers… well, and my wand.

I look in the standing mirror and see my clothes are wrinkled to all hell. With a wave of my wand I cast a few hygiene spells and iron out the wrinkles. Seeing my handsome self with my dark black hair and deep green eyes I get a cocky grin. I pull Sin out of my robes so you can see my 'scarf' more prominently.

Sin hugs me tighter as I pat him grabbing my bag with my other hand. I walk out with Sin now resting on top of my robes.

I stop by the kitchen to grab a small breakfast. The house-elves happily obliged as they started preparing for breakfast almost an hour ago.

As I step out of the kitchen with bread handing out of my mouth and an apple in my hand I see Cedric. He emerges from a giant barrel at the end of the hall next to the kitchen. I stare at him confused but I quickly realize that must be the Hufflepuff dorms.

I'll be honest I never cared enough about Hufflepuff to wonder where their common room is. I knew it was near the kitchen but in a barrel? Odd. Then again it is kinda cool, it's like a secret hideout for hobbits.

'Are Hobbit's real I ask myself as I step towards Cedric.

I waved at him but he already saw me as he stepped out and he is already walking towards me. I toss him my apple as I grab the bread out of my mouth to talk.

"Good morning," I say with a grin. I slept pretty well last night so I'm in a pretty good mood.

Cedric smiles with even more enthusiasm as me "Morning, thanks for the apple I guess? Let's head out shall we?"

I shrug as I gesture at him to lead the way. Flitwick told us to meet him at the bridge out of Hogwarts at 4:30 am so we have time.

We both take our time as we walk through the halls talking about his history of dueling. Apparently, his father works at the ministry and had high hopes for him when he was young. To meet those hopes one of the things he did was take up dueling.

Apparently, he has taken music classes, potions, alchemy, and ancient runes classes since he was six. I can't imagine, seems far too exhausting, but I guess at least his father loves him dearly I guess?

His wand is weak with offensive spells so he makes up for it with his overwhelmingly good defense. I tell him about my wand without going into much detail but the simple fact that it may be the best wand for dueling out there. It's even better for killing but I won't mention that.

As we reach the crest of the hill we look down and see Flitwick already standing at our side of the bridge. We walk over to him as we wave.

"Good Morning Professor." We both say in unison.

Flitwick nods as he adjusts his snazzy suit. The two traveling cases next to him are almost as tall as him. They are both floating a few inches off the ground.

"Good morning boys. I hope you are rested, we have a full day ahead of us." He says with a grin as he pulls out a long ticket that looks sort of like a train ticket.

"Alright boys let's get going, once we pass the disapparation barrier we will but taking this once use portkey. Do you both know how?" Flitwick asks with a serious face.

Cedric and I both nod our heads "Good, lets go." The floating suitcases touch the ground as he gestures at us "Each of you take one please.". We both oblige and pick one up, they are quite heavy.

"Can't portkey's be used inside the barrier?" I ask confused.

The Professor gives me a kind smile "Yes, however, there is a small chance for the barrier to affect them and cause splinching," I nod at his words as I feel the scar on my right leg ache a bit.

Once we pass through the membrane of the barrier we all stop as Flitwick nods. "Both of you grab your bags together and grip tight. With your other hand, you will hold onto me. If you let go you may be dropped anywhere from the English Channel to Rouen."

Paris is pretty far so just don't let go and you'll be fine." He looks seriously between us as we both give a hard nod.

He smiles "Good." We both grip one of his arms as we share the handles of our luggage.

Once we are ready he gives a serious nod and tears the ticket in half. Once he tears the ticket the air around us quivers and we are pulled through space in a whirl. It's similar to the port I took with Sis but obviously this one isn't made as well.

The air pressure is honestly harsh. It's a good thing my body is abnormally strong. I look over at Flitwick and see him closing his eyes tight as he holds on. Cedric however has a worried look on his face.

I look at where he is looking and I see his grip is slipping off of Flitwick. I look at his hand on the bag and see it's slipping off there as well. I grit my teeth knowing I can't catch him as things stand right now.

He loses grip from Flitwick and looks at me with fear in his eyes as he begins to slip. "SIN CATCH HIM!" I yell in a muffled voice as the wind nearly blocks it out.

Like a magic lasso Sin springs at him wrapping around his arm. I feel some of the weight as Sin uses my shoulders to anchor.

After around 30 seconds the winds die down as we slowly drift towards the ground. Sin drops Cedric a few feet and wraps back around my neck as we slowly touch the ground.

Flitwick kneels on the ground panting "It appears, *huff* they gave us a faulty portkey." I look around the large green grassy field we are in and I can see the Eiffel tower in the distance.

I kneel down and pat the groaning Cedric's shoulder. "At least it sent us to the right place."

"That was incredibly dangerous. I will have to file a complaint with the dueling board." Flitwick says in an angry huff.