421A/N1: Just to get this out there: I do not own Harry Potter; he and his world belong to J.K. Rowling.
A/N2: Also, I do not own exclusive rights to fanfiction based on HP and the Goblet of Fire. That has been done many times, and I am sure there are scads of stories better than mine. If this one doesn't suit your fancy, then do what I do when that happens to me and 'Nope' right on out of it.
A/N3: I am certain that some Crescent City natives will be up in arms about the nickname in the title. "Naturally N'awlins" was the sign-off phrase coined by the late Frank Davis, New Orleans TV and radio star, and that is my proof of legitimacy. (Also, this title 'flowed' better than my other ideas.)
Hermione managed to keep her curiosity at bay until they reached the Gryffindor common room and sprawled onto their favourite couch. "Harry," she whispered, "what happened? One minute you and Ron were discussing the World Cup match–again!–and the next it was as if someone kicked your dog? And no, Ron, I'm not talking about," she looked around carefully before hissing, "Sirius."
"Huh, pretty good joke if you were," the redhead commented as he unwrapped a chocolate frog before popping it into his mouth.
"How can you fit anything more in your stomach? And another thing, Harry, you hardly ate any food at the opening feast."
"Yeah, I know, Hermione." The dark-haired boy raked fingers through his hair. "But don't you remember Dumbledore's announcement before the food appeared?"
"Cancelling Quidditch!" Ron expostulated, as clearly as one could who had a mouthful of chewy chocolate. "That's mental, mate! Thank goodness Ollie graduated or he'd've screamed the ceiling down."
"He probably would, but that's not my point; it's why it was cancelled. That wizarding tourney."
"The Tri-Wizard Tournament," Hermione corrected. "With the hints Professor Dumbledore made of the dangers, it's a wonder it has been revived."
"But eternal glory–!" Ron's eyes glazed over. "Plus the prize. What I could buy with a thousand galleons."
"None of us meet the eligibility requirements," she reminded them.
"Bummer," Ron moaned.
"That probably won't matter," Harry stated glumly, eyes on the floor.
"Whaddya mean, mate?"
"When has any method of protecting students worked in this school?" he questioned with a bitter tone.
"Can you explain that?" Hermione asked with no inflection as Ron's jaw fell.
"Year one: We three firsties overcame the 'protections' of the philosopher's stone. Year two: We had a bloody basilisk roaming the halls and only you, Hermione, could figure it out. Year three: Dementors, anyone? And with that mess after the Cup, I don't see things getting any better going forward."
"Harry, do you suspect that you'll end up in the competition?"
"Blimey, that would be so sweet! Have you figured out how you'll enter? Maybe we could do it together."
"Ron!" Harry spoke with clenched teeth. "I'm not going to try to get in."
"Why? You'd win it, for sure. I mean, each time we had a spot of trouble–"
"A spot?!" Hermione almost screeched.
"–we made it through just fine. And what an adventure that'd be!"
Harry leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I'm kind of 'done with' adventure."
The redhead eyed him critically. "I know what it is. Hermione's right; you didn't eat enough tonight and you're not thinking straight. Once we settle in this term, I'm sure you'll start to feel better. Then we can plan how we're gonna enter. In the meantime, you wanna play chess?"
"No," he waved a hand, "see if Neville or Seamus is interested."
"Okay, mate."
"Harry," Hermione scooted closer, "do you really think…"
"Yes, I do. Maybe Ron's right, for once," he added when Hermione snorted, "and I'm not feeling myself tonight. But things in this castle seem to get more dangerous every year. I'm afraid that eventually I won't make the return Express come summer break."
She held a look of concentration for half a minute, front teeth digging into her bottom lip before she placed a hand on his. "You may be correct. Schools in the muggle world don't have these types of situations. Sure," her shoulders shifted uncomfortably, "there's bullying, but incidents of mortal peril are pretty rare. I got so excited about magic that I sort of thought that came with the territory, but it shouldn't!"
"I wonder if those other schools–the ones that are coming here–are like that also or if this is just a Hogwarts thing."
"Well, there's only one way to find out." She gave a sharp nod. "Research. I'll hit the library as soon as I can."
He let out a weak laugh. "I should have known you would end up there."
The next three days passed as what 'normal' usually meant in Hogwarts terminology. The only differences were the excited overheard discussions amongst the sixth and seventh years as to whether or not they were going to enter the competition and Ron bugging him every other class with, "How're you planning for us to get around the age limit?"
It was with a sense of relief that Harry interpreted Hermione's eye motions and realised she had something to report. "So what have you found out?" he asked after following her to an almost hidden study table in the library.
"Harry, this is an extremely dangerous tournament," she whispered with an anxious look, "even worse than I first thought when Professor Dumbledore mentioned 'the death toll'. No competition–and I mean that, exactly none of them!–ended without casualties, and the last one in 1792 was so horrific that the whole event was discontinued. A cockatrice," she leaned forward, "went on a rampage and injured three of the judges."
He snapped his fingers. "Cockatrice, cockatrice…"
"It's described as a rooster with a lizard's tale. Honestly, Harry, Professor Lupin may not have covered it last year, but it was in the textbook. It's Class IV, which means that only skilled wizards with specialised knowledge can handle it: nothing that should appear in a school competition!"
Harry snorted, "If Hagrid had been around then, he would've probably tried to adopt it."
Hermione goggled before agreeing. "And then declared that it was so 'misunderstood'. Oh, no," a hand covered her mouth, "you don't think they'll use some of his classroom animals in this?"
"Considering that the competition is here, the Weasley twins wouldn't get anyone to bet against it. That's it," his jaw firmed, "I can't stay here."
"But if you leave before the OWLs…"
"Look, there's a school in France and wherever this Stormdrain is…"
"Durmstrang, and it is located in Scandinavia; Sweden, I think, they like to be secretive about it. But there are others; those are just the two largest schools of magic on the continent."
"So I'll find one the farthest away from Voldemort and Snape and basilisks and giant spiders…"
"Harry," she hissed, "would you really transfer out of Hogwarts? Your parents went here!"
"And where are they? Dead, and from what I've heard, they died to keep me alive. Logic this out, Hermione: why would I stay in a place that seems to want to change that?"
After a brief moment she gave a sharp nod. "Good point. Okay, new research project. What do you require in the school besides being 'away from here'?"
"Let's see, I only speak English, so that would be nice."
"A little limiting, although I'm fluent in French and could get you to a basic level fairly quickly."
"But we'd better not use one of the schools in the tournament, so that's out."
"I suppose. Too bad. Anything else?"
"Um, competent teachers?"
"Harry…"
He began counting on his fingers, "Quirrell, Binns, Lockhart, Trelawney, Snape…"
"Professor Snape is a renowned Potions Master."
"That doesn't make him a good teacher. Have you ever heard of a wizarding university that offers an education degree?"
"No, and that might be the case everywhere, but there must be a way… Ah! Ratings! I'm sure that someone has written about the schools' quality somewhere." She scribbled another line on the parchment and muttered, "Might be a little challenging to find that though."
"No bullying policy."
"Hogwarts has that; it just isn't enforced."
"Put it on the list anyway. Let's see, make sure I can keep Hedwig. Oh, and it would be great if they had a year-round program so I'll never have to return to Little Whinging."
"Okay." She finished writing with a flourish of her quill. "I'm certain that I won't find all of this in the Hogwarts library, so, since you mentioned Hedwig, may I borrow her for some correspondence?"
"Sure, I'll let her know."
"See, if you can communicate with her that well, she's probably close to being a familiar, and that would mean you could keep her even in a country that doesn't use postal owls."
"Hermione," Harry chuckled, "you know that I love Hedwig, but the muggle world is lots more efficient in sending mail."
"Great Britain, or rather, the wizards of Great Britain, seem to be stuck in the nineteenth century as far as technology. Since the Grindelwald War or, in Muggle terms, World War Two, other countries have become much more progressive."
"Just wondering then, why did you come to Hogwarts?"
She gave him a wry glance. "Because other options were not mentioned when I was told about magic. After I found out, my parents were not well pleased that the only way I could leave was by testing out or transferring." She cleared her throat. "They have actually checked on certification requirements in other countries in case we moved away, but I didn't want to leave you here, pretty much alone, considering the way that trouble seems to follow you."
"Hermione, that's… Education is important to you. You shouldn't have short-changed yourself for me. I would've been fine." He leaned back. "After all, Ron was still here."
"Ron Weasley?" She raised an eyebrow. "Mister 'Let's Drive a Flying Car to School'? Mister 'Accept Malfoy's Wizard's Duel Challenge for Someone Else'? Mister 'I Have a Death Eater for a Pet'?"
"Now, you can't blame him for that last one!"
"No, I blame Percy. He had that rat for almost ten years and never realised that it should have died twice during that length of time."
"But Percy was a prefect and Head Boy!" he argued, grinning widely.
"The twins were right. 'Big Head' Boy. Wizards are so used to magic doing everything that they have no common sense."
"I'm coming to agree with you. I understand why I didn't realise that a diary writing back was wrong, but Ginny was raised in the magical world."
"And her closest examples to follow were Ron and the insane twins," she huffed. "I say we give her a bye on that one."
"Yeah. So, how long do you think it'll take?"
"If I get quick responses, we should have a list of schools in a couple weeks. But to be honest, I don't know that we can get applications and paperwork done in time for us to leave before Christmas."
"Us?"
"Surely you wouldn't leave me at the mercy of those Slytherin cretins with only Ronald as my defence? Like I said, Harry," she clasped his hand, "my parents are ready to emigrate once I give the word, and they'll probably let you stay with us as long as you need when we get there."
"Wow," his throat felt thick, "I really don't deserve you as a friend, Hermione."
"Nonsense. Friendship isn't about deserving; it just is."