Hello all, this is my first story, so please go easy on me. Constructive criticism is welcome. I apologize for the parts of the story written in Bulgarian, I do not naturally speak it, so the writing may be off.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything is the work of JK Rowling.
Chapter One – The Quidditch World Cup
It was late, she realized she should have made it back earlier, but she had been distracted. She sprinted up the stairs, grateful her uncle was in bed. He would never have such rough housing in his house. When she reached the top of the steps, she didn't knock on the door, but pushed it open and raced towards the bed, she caught a glimpse of the blonde hair sticking out of the blanket.
"Draco" she whispered shaking the sleeping boy. "Wake up, we have to go."
Draco turned towards her voice, his eyes barely opening. "Ara? Where are we going?"
"It doesn't matter," She said briskly, a large smile blossoming across her face. "Have I ever led you astray?" she asked quietly with a smirk.
Draco snorted and pushed the covers off "you always lead me astray," he said quietly but followed her none the less.
The two of them walked quietly down the steps and pulled on warm cloaks before heading outside. Ara dragged Draco to the broom closet and grabbed their two nimbus 2001 before heading past the boundaries of Malfoy Manor.
"Are we playing?" Draco asked excitedly as he followed her.
"What does it look like?" she asked, thrusting one of the brooms into his hand and holding out her arm for him to grab.
Draco grimaced only slightly, but grabbed her arm before the two of them were sucked into an invisible tunnel and appeared somewhere in a stadium with large lights and surrounded by woods.
A look of realization crossed Draco's face as he looked around. ""is this… Is this?" he stuttered a large grin spreading across his face.
"Yes," Ara said clapping Draco on the back, "welcome to the stadium of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup."
"Are you two going to stand around all day, or are we going to play Quidditch," came the voice of a burly man who appeared to be about six feet tall with a full-grown mustache and beard, no one would have guessed that he was only seventeen.
Ara mounted her broom and shot a smirk at the guy, "Catch me if you can Connor," she said as she shot off into the sky, being followed closely by her other friends and Draco.
The game got intense like it always did. Ara was chaser like normal, but she couldn't help keep an eye on her younger cousin. Her friends were rough when it came to Quidditch and they definitely didn't hesitate at shooting bludgers at the seeker.
Ara let her mind drift and she focused back on the game, catching the quaffle and racing towards the other teams' goal post. She made the shot watching the ball soar past the keepers' hands and through the tallest post. Just after she made her shot the whistle was blown, ending the match.
Ara flew down and landed amongst both teams, boos of disappointment were directed towards her. Thanks to her last goal she had won the match for her team, although the other team caught the snitch just after Ara made the shot.
Ara shrugged "no need to be bitter that you all don't hold a candle to me when it comes to Quidditch," she said, brushing off her robes and grinning arrogantly.
"Oh shut up," Connor said without any real venom as he made his way towards the end of the pitch and sat against the wall. The rest of them joined him. Ara sat snuggly between her good friend Anna and her cousin. She glanced around fondly, how many people could say that they and their friends broke into a Quidditch pitch that took a year to create for the Quidditch world cup?
"So Draco," a boy named Marcus began, catching Ara's attention and bringing her back to the present. "are you going to transfer to Durmstrang?" He asked.
Draco shrugged "sometimes father says he wants to send me there with how the old codger is running Hogwarts, but for now he wants me there," he said, a little disappointment evident in his voice.
"why does he want you there, but Ara at Durmstrang?" Kara asked. She was the seeker for the team that lost, the one that caught the snitch. She was small, but strong.
Ara glanced at Draco before shaking her head slightly and turning to the group "I'm unruly," she said with a small laugh. "I think he thought Durmstrang could keep me in line, but well… Hogwarts is his alma mater, so it's important to him that Draco is there."
Kara nodded in acceptance before turning her friend, Marie and engaging in some sort of rapid discussion.
The small group sat and talked until the sun began to rise, it was then that they decided it was a good idea to get out of there before anyone else came.
Ara and Draco headed in the opposite direction of the group and towards the apparition point.
"Father is going to be so mad," Draco said and Ara knew he wasn't afraid of his father, but rather concerned about what he would think of him.
Ara shrugged, "it was worth it though, right?" she asked, slinging her arm around her beloved cousin.
Draco glanced back at the stadium behind them and smiled before nodding. "Thanks for getting me."
Ara reached out her arm for Draco to grab, "now let us go pay the piper," she said and the two of them were sucked once again through an invisible tube.
She had known that they would be in trouble when Lucius found out. And he would find out, it was nearly impossible to keep a secret in Malfoy Manor. Ara was convinced that it was more than just the house elves and the portraits on the walls, she was convinced that the walls themselves could talk.
It, therefore, didn't surprise her as she sat on the couch in the lounge watching as Draco was scolded by his father, while her aunt sat across from her.
"Draco, please leave us," Lucius said, his eyes hard on Ara. Draco stood up and walked quickly towards the door, sending a sympathetic glance towards Ara for what was coming.
"Why?" Lucius asked, exasperation evident in his voice.
Ara looked confused at the question "it was a once in a lifetime opportunity," she said plainly.
Lucius shook his head "why did you take Draco?"
Ara gave him an incredulous look "because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I didn't want him to have to miss it."
"you could have gotten caught," he said walking closer to where Ara was sitting.
"but we didn't and I had it on good authority that we wouldn't get caught," she said as she had double and triple checked that breaking into the stadium was safe.
"I don't know what to do with you anymore," he said as he sat next to his wife. "I had hoped that Durmstrang could knock some sense into you but you are still absolutely foolish and reckless and to make it worse you are dragging my son into it."
Ara sat and didn't say anything. She knew where this was going.
"I do not want you besmirching the Malfoy name," he said harshly.
Ara glanced at him "it's a good thing I'm not a Malfoy then, isn't it," she said, her voice cold.
A plate came flying towards Ara and without flinching, she sent it away with a lift of her fingers, causing it to crash into the wall behind her. She and Lucius had never gotten on well, and Ara knew why that was. Lucius worked on fear, not respect. He wanted people to fear him, but Ara didn't fear him. Why would she fear him when her own mother was so much more frightening?
"Damn it Ara, I want you to take this seriously. You may not be a Malfoy by name, but you were raised as a Malfoy and its time you started acting as one. Enough of this foolishness and these childish games. I expect you to join the ministry when you're finished with school. It bodes well for us to be in political places."
Ara looked down at her hands, she didn't want to work for the ministry, but it had been a conversation they had avoided discussing. She simply nodded, she still had a year, after all, to convince him to change his mind.
Lucius stood up and walked towards the door. "We are in the top box for the Quidditch World Cup, I expect you to look and act respectable," he said before walking out the door and closing it with a snap.
"Why must you push him so?" Narcissa asked after a moment of silence. Ara glanced into the blue eyes of her aunt, seeing no hatred or anger, she answered her.
"It's not my intention," Ara said, "I just don't get what the purpose in life is if we aren't allowed to have fun every once in a while."
"We have fun all the time," Narcissa said, "we are going to the world cup in just a few days, aren't we?"
Ara rolled her eyes, causing a small exasperated smile to land on her aunt's face. "that's not what I mean, Sure we have fun, but it feels like we always have to be a certain way, look a certain way, act a certain way, it's exhausting," she said passionately. "Don't you ever just want to take your hair out of that up do, take off your pants, and run around singing 'Do The Hippogriff" at the top of your lungs?" She asked, crossing the lounge and sitting next to her aunt.
Narcissa laughed and grabbed Ara's hand "I have never had that desire," she said.
Ara smiled and stood up, dragging her aunt with her "you're truly missing out Aunt Cissy," she said and pulled them towards the door.
Narcissa pulled Ara back before she reached the door and when Ara looked at her she saw nothing but concern. "Just promise me you'll try to behave, at least in front of your uncle," she said.
Ara nodded "I will," she said honestly. "I think I'll have the opportunity to make a good name for the family this year," she said.
"you've decided then?" Narcissa asked.
Ara nodded "I think I'll join, I mean I have good odds and it'll be risky and fun while still being looked highly upon, so Uncle Lucius will be proud," she said.
Narcissa nodded "as long as you're safe," she said and the two of them left the lounge.
Ara made her way through the crowd, looking for her family's tent. She knew she still had a way to walk. She wasn't in much of a rush, she got to have a lie in while the other three walked to their portkey, now she was looking around at all the campsites and watching as some people attempted to put up their tents by hand. She had to give them credit, she never would have been able to build a tent by hand.
She wasn't paying much attention when she suddenly felt something collide with her side as she flew to the ground.
"Ouch" she said as she looked around, her wand springing to her hand on instinct. She put her wand away when she realized it was a teenage boy who had rammed into her.
"I'm sorry," he said as he stood to his feet and reached out a hand to pull her up.
Ara shrugged it off, it appeared that he had been trying to catch the quaffle. The boy looked familiar, although she couldn't place it. He was rather short and skinny and wore round glasses and had a lightning shaped scar.
"Harry Potter," she said as realization struck her. She knew of the scar, not necessarily from the paper but from her cousin.
"We'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say it too loudly," said a man as he walked up to Harry and flung an arm around his shoulder. The man looked to be a carbon copy, only older, and Ara could only assume that this was Harry's father.
"Sorry," Ara said, "I was just surprised you looked so familiar, but I don't believe we've met," She said and put out her hand to Harry. "I'm Ara."
Harry nodded and shook her hand "Harry." Ara then turned to the father "I'm James," he said, shaking her hand.
"Do you need any help with the tent," Ara said as she glanced behind them. There were several tent locations and many people attempting to help, but they seemed to be struggling greatly with the tent.
James rubbed the back of his neck, "Do you know how?" he asked, "My wife usually helps with these things, but I'm afraid she decided to stay home."
Ara shrugged, "I have no idea, we could just magic it up?" she suggested, but the little she knew of the Potters, she knew they wouldn't want to perform magic where they weren't supposed to.
James looked at her strangely "we have to do it by hand I'm afraid."
Ara nodded, her assumption had been correct. "Well did it come with instructions?" she asked.
James nodded and pointed to a tall man, with mousy brown hair that had already started graying, "Remus has got them, you're welcome to help if you'd like, but I'm sure we'll be okay."
Ara shrugged and walked over to this Remus person. Her reasons for staying were more selfish than helpful. She wanted to know a little bit more about these people whom her cousin and uncle hated so much. She paused only briefly when she thought of her uncle. This was definitely something he wouldn't approve of, consorting with the enemy.
She shook her head and continued. "Do you need help," she asked the man. He turned and looked at her, he was very young, but Ara could tell that he had lived a hard life.
"Sure," he said as he handed her the instructions. "I'm Remus by the way, Remus Lupin."
Ara put out her hand "Ara," she said, not offering her last name.
"Pleasure to meet you," he said quietly as she began reading the instructions. There were pictures and it really didn't appear to be that hard. She had to hand it to muggles, they knew how to do the strangest things.
"It looks like you have to lay out the tent flat," she began instructing. A couple of the members of the group glanced at her strangely, before doing what she was instructing. "and then the poles go through the holes in the corner and into the ground, good" she continued as they did what she said. "then the other poles go through the long holes across the tent and they connect to the other side," she finished and before them stood a fully functioning tent.
"Thanks," said a balding red-haired man as he stood and faced her. "I'm Arthur Weasley by the way," he said as he shook Ara's hand.
She hid her grimace; her Uncle would not be happy knowing she'd helped a Weasley.
"I'm Ara," she said quietly.
"These are my oldest sons," he said as two more stepped up. Ara found them both attractive, but her eyes were drawn to the younger of the two. He had dark red hair and deep blue eyes. His skin was freckled, but not in a bad way. He looked nearly tan. She felt a small spark in the back of her mind when she shook his hand.
"I'm Charlie," he said softly, he seemed to be looking just as intently at her.
A cough came and the two of them broke apart. Ara reached out and shook the hand of the other red head, who turned out to be Bill.
When she turned to the last man in the group, she felt a flash of recognition spread up her spine. He was handsome and had aristocratic features. He held himself confidently and had dark hair and gray eyes.
He put out his hand to shake hers with a small, warm smile on his face "I'm Sirius Black," he said.
Ara gasped softly. She couldn't be here. It shouldn't have surprised her that he would be here, rumor was he was a friend of the Potters, but it was bad enough that she had been speaking with the Potters and the Weasley's, two of the biggest blood traitor families in the wizarding world, but to actually, shake hands with Sirius, someone who had been burned off their family tree.
She took a step back and wiped her hands on her pants. "I must go," she said quickly. "Please don't tell anyone I was here," she said as she glanced at the others. She turned and walked away, leaving behind a confused group of people.
"Weird," James said watching as the girl walked away. "Did she look familiar to you?" he asked his friend who was still looking offended at getting snubbed on the handshake.
"Yeah," he said.
James elbowed in the side and shrugged. "She seemed to recognize you," he said.
Sirius shook his head "she needs to learn some manners, that's certain."
James snorted and slapped his friend on the back.
"Charlie certainly seemed to like her," Bill said, throwing his arm around his brother who was still staring in the direction Ara had walked away.
Charlie turned and glared at his brother.
"I think you're in lust," he said, shaking his head as though he were disappointed, although a small smile tugged at his lips.
Charlie shook his head "she's pretty, I'll give her that, but I'm not in love and I won't ever be in love," he said determinedly.
"You do realize that your mind heard 'love' when I actually said that you were in 'lust'" Bill said, putting an emphasis on the last word.
Charlie's face tinted pink "oh," he said quietly, causing laughter to go among the group.
"It's alright Char, she was very distracting with her long wavy black hair and her green eyes… and her nice rack," he added, causing the older Weasley to whack his son across the head while Charlie just laughed.
Charlie shook his head "It wasn't like that," he said thoughtfully "It was just… I don't know, forget it." He said and he pushed his brother's arm away before heading into the tent.
Bill simply shrugged and began helping his father put up the other tent.
"Where'd Harry go?" Sirius asked James.
"To go get water," James responded, taking a seat beside Remus.
"I'm going to go find him," Sirius said with an evil grin.
James looked at his friend and shrugged "Don't cause too much trouble" he said although it was clear he didn't care.
"No magic!" Remus shouted as Sirius began walking away looking for his godson.
Ara was in awe at the sight of the Quidditch World Cup. The stadium was packed with people, all craning their necks hoping to get the first peek at the Quidditch players. She continued climbing the stairs with her family, although she couldn't help but fall behind on the rich purple carpet, ever so slightly. They reached the very top and Ara found herself entering a small box, situated halfway between the golden goal posts. They truly were the best seats in the stadium and the small box room seemed to be able to fit about twenty people.
She was surprised to see that two of the rows were already full and she grimaced at her luck. It just so happened to be filled with the very people who she ran into earlier that day. She avoided making eye contact with them, although she could feel eyes following her as she followed her family up the steps.
The Minister of Magic was already there as was another man, who Ara recognized as the Bulgarian Minister, although she had never met him herself. He wore robes of black velvet which had gold trim and she noticed Minister Fudge was speaking to him rather loudly. It seemed he didn't know much English.
Ara stood up straighter, reminding herself she was a pure blood.
"Ah, Fudge," Lucius said, reaching out and shaking the Minister's hand. "How are you?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. Lucius turned towards the three of them "I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son Draco? Or my niece, Ara?" he asked, indicating each of them in turn.
"How do you do, How do you do? Said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Narcissa and shaking hands with Draco and Ara. Ara smiled and nodded politely.
"Let me introduce you to Mr. Obalonsk… well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic and he can't understand a word I am saying anyway, so nevermind." He said, although it appeared he did understand some, as he offered a bow to the four of them.
Ara reached forward to shake the Minister's hand "Здравейте, приятно ми е да се запознаем. Казвам се Ara," she said. She had learned Bulgarian while attending Durmstrang. She had many friends who spoke it, although she found she still struggled with understanding what they were saying.
The minister's eyes widened in surprise, but he shook her hand enthusiastically, "Вие присъствате Durmstrang?"
Ara nodded and glanced at her uncle out of the corner of her eyes. He was nodding at her in approval that the connection was a good thing.
"Нека ви разкрия една тайна," the minister said, still holding onto Ara's hand. "аз говоря английски"
Ara laughed, the minister told her that he could speak English and she was surprised at the sense of humor. He seemed to be fooling the Minister of Magic in England.
"Няма да кажа," she said, promising not to tell his secret. She turned back to her family and was surprised to see an almost gleeful expression on Fudge's face.
"You speak Bulgarian! That's excellent, I may be using you later miss Malfoy," he said.
Ara looked surprised at being called a Malfoy and spared a quick glance at the group behind her, most of whom were looking at her with interest. She then turned to her Uncle, knowing he was going correct the minister.
"she is actually a Lestrange, Fudge," Malfoy said, gesturing to his niece.
Fudge's facial expression seemed to change and Ara began willing herself not to turn red. She didn't like being associated with that name, not because she hated her mother, but because she hated that people associated her with all the dark deeds her mother did. That's why she never said it when introducing herself.
"very well, uh miss Les-Lestrange," Fudge said, stumbling over his words.
"I can assure you Minister, that she was raised by us. She is as innocent as our sweet Draco," Narcissa said and Ara was iimmensely grateful to her aunt. Her aunt rarely ever stood up for her.
"Of course of course," Fudge said returning to his bubbly personality. "I apologize, some names are just hard to forget," he said. "Maybe you should change it to Malfoy," he said with a laugh. "now let's see," he said, looking at changing the subject. "I do believe Lucius that you know Arthur Weasley and James Potter," he said gesturing behind them.
The air seemed to get thicker as the environment tensed. James, Arthur, and Sirius were glaring at Lucius with what Ara could only describe as hatred. She was secretly pleading that no one would mention she met them earlier.
"Good lord, Arthur," Lucius said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box?"
Fudge wasn't listening and said "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, he is here as my guest," he said with a smile.
"How nice," James said with a strained smile.
Ara glanced at her uncle and noticed his gaze switch from James to a small bushy haired girl. The girl went pink, but she was staring back determinedly. Her uncle's lip curled and he gave her a cold look. Ara couldn't help but wonder what made him look at a young girl like that. She was a teenager, what could she have possibly done?
Lucius didn't say anything, but filed into his seat with his wife and son following behind him.
"Slimy git," Ara heard the younger red head say. She held back a snort. She took a chance and glanced at the family and connected eyes with Charlie, whom she had met earlier. He offered her a smile, which Ara was surprised to see, given their families history. She winked at him and took her seat beside her cousin, just in time for Ludo Bagman to begin the commentary and for the Quidditch World Cup to begin.