February 24th, Sunny

The Black Lake at Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement early in the morning as students and staff gathered for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. The lake had been transformed overnight, with lights illuminating the area and staff working tirelessly to prepare. Joey, sitting in the audience area, munched on egg yolk cookies—a new creation by the house-elves. The cookies were delicious, especially with the black sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Fred, sitting next to her, reached over and grabbed a cookie from her pocket. "These are great. Ron would love them—if he were here," he said, chewing thoughtfully.

Joey glanced around. "I don't see Ron or Hermione either. Did they sneak off on a date or something?" she joked.

"They were called away by Professor McGonagall yesterday," Ginny chimed in, though her cheeks turned slightly pink as she spoke.

Joey noticed a boy nearby sneaking glances at Ginny and nudged her. "Is that your admirer?" she teased.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Don't tell Harry. He's been annoying enough lately."

Fred laughed. "Harry needs to step up his game. My sister's quite popular!"

"Says the guy who beat up half the school for trying to ask Joey to dance," Ginny shot back, smirking.

Joey and Flami burst into laughter, while Fred and George exchanged mock-offended looks. Fred retaliated by turning a cookie into an ice cube and shoving it down George's collar, earning a yelp from his brother.

The excitement died down as the second task was announced. Joey noticed Moody's absence from the professors' seating area. "Professor Moody hasn't been around much lately," she remarked. "Do you think he's worried about being attacked?"

Fred shrugged. "He's not here, but someone else is." He pointed to a red-haired man sitting on the bench. "Isn't that Mr. Crouch? Or is it Percy under Polyjuice Potion?"

George squinted. "Merlin's beard, it "is" Percy!"

Percy, noticing their stares, stood up and waved proudly, as if he were the Minister of Magic himself. Fred and George immediately turned away, pretending not to see him, while Ginny waved back enthusiastically.

"You two are so childish," Ginny scolded. "Percy's doing well. Stop treating him like a kid."

Fred and George exchanged a look. "Harry's about to marry a 'little mother,'" they said in unison, earning laughter from Joey and Flami.

Ginny, exasperated, cast a Bat-Bogey Hex at her brothers, sending them scrambling. The bats nearly bit their noses off, but their hats saved them. "Good thing she's just our sister!" Fred muttered, brushing off the bats.

The second task began, and the champions dove into the lake. Cedric emerged first, carrying a soaked Cho. He wrapped her in a towel and gently checked if she was okay. The crowd erupted in cheers.

"Cedric's amazing!" Joey and Ginny cheered. "Only forty minutes!"

Fred grinned. "Looks like he listened to you, Joey."

Fleur was next, though she had to send a distress signal. She looked anxious, scanning the lake for her sister. Krum emerged later, carrying Hermione, which shocked Joey and Ginny.

"I didn't think Krum was serious about Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Shouldn't you be worried about Harry's 'treasure'?" Fred teased.

"It's definitely Ron," Joey said quickly. "Poor Ginny, her boyfriend's treasure is her own brother!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You should write for "The Quibbler". Your imagination's wild enough."

Joey was right. Harry and Ron soon surfaced, each carrying a young girl. Fleur rushed to hug her sister, while Hermione threw herself into Ron's arms, crying. Krum looked on gloomily, and Harry waved happily at Ginny.

"What a drama!" Joey said, poking Fred. "Look at all those expressions!"

Fred, however, was more interested in the scores. Cedric earned high marks, despite Karkaroff's low score, and Harry also did well for his helpfulness.

"Not bad," Flami said. "Cedric and Harry are tied. I have a feeling the Goblet of Fire will stay at Hogwarts."

"Either way, it's a win for us!" Joey said excitedly.

Fred tapped his chin. "Percy finally got a fair deal. And I think we should add a little something for Harry."

---

The "Daily Prophet" was dominated by Rita Skeeter's sensational stories about the Triwizard Tournament, particularly the "love triangle" between Harry, Hermione, and Krum. Joey was hooked, ordering a year's subscription just for the drama.

"Harry watched Hermione fall into Krum's arms, his green eyes filled with tears," Joey read aloud, laughing. "This poor boy, losing his parents and now his heart to a girl who pretended to be his friend. I couldn't make this up!"

Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes, while Hermione calmly analyzed the paper. "The Ministry of Magic is in trouble," she said, pointing to small articles about cold snaps near the North Sea and a witch's sighting of a Dementor.

"How did you see that in this mess?" Joey asked, amazed.

"Azkaban is in the North Sea," Hermione explained. "If Dementors are roaming free, the Ministry's control is slipping."

Sirius appeared suddenly, confirming Hermione's suspicions. "Some Dementors have defected to Voldemort," he said grimly. "It's only a matter of time before the prisoners escape."

Joey grabbed Fred's hand, her heart racing. "They can't let them out! They'll kill people!"

Sirius's expression turned icy. "We'll catch them when they come out. I've been waiting for this day."

The group fell silent, intimidated by his intensity. Sirius quickly lightened the mood. "But that's for us adults to worry about. You kids enjoy the tournament! Oh, and Remus and Tonks are getting married on March 14th at the Three Broomsticks. Can you come?"

The mood shifted, and the students eagerly agreed. Joey, still holding Fred's hand, felt a mix of excitement and unease. The tournament was thrilling, but the shadows of Azkaban loomed large. For now, though, she focused on the joy of the moment.