"Honestly... I don't think he's so bad. A bit reckless in his ideals, maybe, but he's nothing like You-Know-Who."
Lupin stared at Sirius in disbelief for speaking up on Grindelwald's behalf, and even back at school, he still found it hard to wrap his head around.
Wasn't Sirius supposed to despise Dark wizards more than anyone?
So why did he think so highly of Grindelwald all of a sudden?
Lupin had no idea that, because of the Wizard's Guild, Sirius and Grindelwald had been forced into frequent contact. Given how Sirius's mind worked, it hardly took much from Grindelwald to win him over. Just a casual comment here and there was enough.
It amounted to nothing more than ordinary approval, of course, nowhere near the point of betrayal, but Sirius's guard had certainly dropped a fair amount.
Unable to make up his mind about it, Lupin went to Dumbledore and told him everything that had happened.
When he finished, Dumbledore lowered his head in thought. Lupin couldn't read his expression, only the twin points of light reflecting off his half-moon glasses.
After a long moment, the old man finally spoke. "Remus, this is precisely what makes Grindelwald so dangerous. He and Voldemort have never been the same kind of man."
"Has he bewitched Sirius somehow?" Lupin asked, worried.
"Not quite that far." Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "Sirius has a firm will, and a clear sense of right and wrong. The moment Grindelwald's actions cross what he believes in, that little goodwill will vanish like smoke. So please, don't worry too much."
"But the students are different." Dumbledore's tone turned heavy. "Their sense of right and wrong hasn't fully matured yet. They're far more susceptible to his influence. I'll do what I can to watch him closely, but there are bound to be gaps here and there. When that happens, I'll need to rely on all of you. Remus."
"I understand."
Lupin nodded solemnly, though he still wasn't entirely at ease about Sirius. He resolved to warn him about the danger Grindelwald posed the moment a good opportunity arose.
But the workload at school was heavy enough that the worry slipped from his mind soon after, and he spent the whole weekend buried in preparations.
...
The new week arrived, and Hogwarts castle had reached its finest state, looking practically brand new.
The heads of house had also sent out a notice through the enchanted mirrors requiring every young witch and wizard to be neatly dressed. Because of it, Ginny had roped Tom in to help strip all the decorations off Luna's robes.
It was the first time Tom had ever seen Luna show real irritation and distress, and he had to admit, it was rather entertaining to watch.
"Once today's over, I'll give them all back to you," Ginny said, trying to comfort her. "I really do like your style, but formal occasions call for a bit of respect toward other people, don't they?"
Luna nodded quietly.
Tom couldn't help a laugh. "Ginny, you sound just like Mrs. Weasley right now."
Ginny shot him a sour look. She'd only called him over to help, and here he was standing off to the side enjoying the show. The more upset Luna got, the more entertained he seemed, and now he was cracking jokes at her expense on top of it.
"Come on, let's go. The professors want everyone there by five."
After casting one last cleaning charm on Luna, the two girls set off together, arms linked.
That was when the smile finally slid off Tom's face.
He hoped Fleur wouldn't provoke Daphne too badly. He'd been treading carefully around Fleur lately, dropping hints both direct and subtle that they were all his to look after. He had no idea whether any of it was actually working.
The crowd streamed through the entrance hall and into a Great Hall lit several times brighter than usual. Even the candle sconces had been given a thorough polish by the house elves, and they now threw back a warm, golden glow.
Filch, dressed in a moth eaten old suit, strode up and down the aisles between the tables, inspecting every young witch and wizard's appearance. Anyone caught talking too loudly got a withering glare until they fell silent, and only then would he move on to the next.
At the staff table, the professors had all gathered, save for McGonagall, who was already outside the front doors to receive the arriving "guests." This tournament's scale didn't match the Triwizard Tournament's, and far fewer people were coming, so there was no need to march the whole school out onto the lawn. As Deputy Headmistress, that honor fell to McGonagall alone.
Before long, a commotion drifted in from outside. The students all craned their necks, eager to see which school would arrive first.
"Welcome, Madame Maxime," they heard McGonagall say.
The headmistress of Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime, swept in leading her delegation.
The students couldn't help gasping at how enormous she was, but their attention was quickly drawn to the several graceful figures following behind her.
Suddenly, one of them broke from the line. People only caught a flash of silvery hair streaming behind her before she'd already reached the Slytherin table, and under Daphne and Astoria's stunned stares, she threw her arms around Tom and, without a trace of restraint, pressed a kiss on him brimming with longing and love.
A gasp swept the hall.
Every single student, no, every single person in the room, students and staff alike, sat up sharp with interest!
No commentary needed. Wasn't this already far more entertaining than the tournament itself?