[@Nallore] [@Noxxis] [@Dutchess Sarah]

[h3]Quidditch World Cup Finals[/h3]

The stadium built for the 422[sup]nd[/sup] World Cup took a Ministry of Magic task force a year to construct and held roughly one-hundred thousand spectators.

In the final game, [color=green][b]Ireland[/b][/color], having defeated Peru in the semi-finals, played against [color=darkred][b]Bulgaria[/b][/color]. In the end, Bulgarian Seeker managed to catch the Snitch and salvage Bulgarian dignity, although Ireland still managed to win the game, overall.

The events of the final match were overshadowed by the attack of [i]Death Eaters[/i] on Muggles, leading to a riot afterwards. The Death Eaters fled after the Dark Mark was cast into the sky, but not before they had tortured and levitated several Muggles.

[h3]Tri-Wizard Tournament History[/h3]

The Triwizard Tournament was established approximately seven-hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the wizarding schools the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and the Durmstrang Institute. Held every five years, the competition would be hosted by each school in turn, the judges for the Tournament comprising the headmasters or headmistresses of the schools.

There have been at least 125 editions of the Tournament: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has 63 wins, and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic has 62.

Due to the risks involved in overcoming the extremely dangerous tasks, and an increasing number of deaths, the Tournament was eventually discontinued at some point in or after the 1790s. Multiple attempts have been made to revive the Tournament, but none succeeded until this school year, where it is being held at Hogwarts Castle. 

[h3][sub]1792 Tri-Wizard Tournament[/sub][/h3]

The Triwizard Tournament was held in 1792, and one of the tasks involved catching a [url=https://pre00.deviantart.net/f95b/th/pre/i/2017/043/9/8/cockatrice_by_arvalis-dayug8y.jpg]cockatrice[/url]. However, the beast went on a rampage and injured three of the judges, the Heads of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The event was recorded in the book [i]Hogwarts, A History[/i], indicating that the 1792 Tournament was possibly held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

[h3]A Revival of the Tournament[/h3]

[b]Barty Crouch Sr[/b], [i]Head of the Ministry of Magic's Department of International Magical Cooperation[/i], in conjunction with [b]Ludo Bagman[/b], [i]Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports[/i], worked with their opposite numbers in other countries to revive the Tournament. However, due to the dangerous nature of the Tournament, it was decided that some changes were to be made to the rules, with the main one being that [u]no student under the age of seventeen being allowed to enter or compete.[/u]

[h3]Hogwarts '94 || News of the Tournament[/h3]

On 1 September, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore announced to the school that they would be playing host to the Triwizard Tournament. As it were, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons have since dropped from the Tournament, it was now up to Hogwarts alone to continue the Tournament. Preparations were made for the arrival of the judges and any additional people who'd be joining in to watch the Tournament unfold, including an extra-thorough cleaning of the castle and it's grounds.

On [u]30 October[/u], a feast to wish the future champions good fortune was held in the Great Hall, where Professor Dumbledore introduced the other Tournament judges — Bartemius Crouch Sr. and Ludo Bagman — to the assembled students. After explaining the rules of the Tournament, Dumbledore unveiled both the Goblet of Fire and the Triwizard Cup. Students would have until the start of the Hallowe'en Feast the following day to enter their names. In agreement with the new rules regarding underage students entering the Tournament, Dumbledore drew an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire.

The following day, [u]31 October[/u], the school was abuzz with rumours and speculation over who would enter the Tournament. All of the Gryffindor delegation entered, as well as the Ravenclaws, Slytherins and so, presumably, did all the Hufflepuff students. Among the entrants  were Angelina Johnson from Gryffindor, Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff and Cassius Warrington from Slytherin. A couple of nameless students from Gryffindor attempted to bypass the Age Line by using an Ageing Potion but were repulsed by the Age Line and grew long white beards. S. Fawcett of Ravenclaw, and Summers of Hufflepuff suffered the same misfortune.

[h3]Naming of the Champions[/h3]

All the students filed into the Great Hall for a dinner feast as the headmaster took his place directly in the center. For years he had been known to put on a grandiose speech, but here, his flair for the dramatic seemed to reach its zenith.

[b]"Sit down. Please."[/b] Dumbledore's words were softly spoken but held a very stern tone. Everyone listened immediately, finding a seat in their designated rows as quickly as possible. 

[b]"Now the moment, we've all been waiting for. The Champion Selection!"[/b] The aged wizard walked up the aisle of students and made his way to the ancient, magical cup which sat atop his lecture podium. Fire simmered from its wooden rim and brightened as all the torches around the hall dimmed with wave of Dumbledore’s hand.

[b]"There may be four Chosen, but in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions. This vessel of victory. The Tri-Wizard Cup!"[/b] With no further hesitation, on the long table where the professors all sat, Barty Crouch released the shining blue cup from beneath the cloth it was concealed beneath.

He turned towards the Goblet, placing both hands on either side of it a moment before stepping away. The Goblet’s blue flames crackled into a dark red hue. The headmaster held a strong, but withered hand out as a jet of fire exploded from the goblet. A burnt piece of gold parchment drifted between his fingers, squinting at it as he read the name aloud.

[b]"Our first tournament champion, from Hufflepuff.."[/b] Of course, hold for the dramatic pause. [b]"Maddison Morley!"[/b] He waited for her to approach before shaking her hand.

The noise dimmed and, eventually, the last Hufflepuff cheer died down. The flames darkened once more, and the tension in the hall was palpable. Nonetheless, three more names must be drawn. The goblet shot forth another blackened piece of parchment. [i]Green.[/i]

[b]"Our Slytherin Champion, is Jacob Lee!"[/b] The Slytherins cast a huge uproar, practically deafening the Hufflepuff students who sat to the tables beside them. The Headmaster shook the boy's hand firmly before turning back to the cup.

It seemed as though the goblet knew, or it was one for dramatic pauses just like Dumbledore, but it seemed to wait till the applauses and shouting died down again before shooting out another parchment paper. [i]Red.[/i]

[b]"Gryffindor's Tournament Champion, is Kaitlyn Smith!"[/b] The surrounding Gryffindors were overcome with a great applause. Again, Dumbledore waited for the girl to approach, giving her a friendly smile and a tender shake of his hand before returning his attention to the cup.

The fourth and final piece shot out of the cup with great pizazz. There was only one House left to pick from. Ravenclaw. The blue parchment fell into Dumbledore's hand, looking over the name as he gazed out into the crowd for a few moments before calling out the named student. [b]"Our fourth, and final champion, reigning from Ravenclaw... Noella Kingsley!"[/b]