Its sleek black gem shimmered up at me. The sliver embracing the stone cold and sleek. I knew what it was. The embossed G signifying the blood-line of the Gaunt family. I found it underneath the floor boards in my room. The House of Gaunt belonged to my family now. Ever since the murder of Marvolo Gaunt himself. I dared not to put the ring on, its cold blackness made me tremble. Instead I shoved it into the far corner of my jewelry box and stowed it away in my trunk. I wasn't a fool. Hidden in this house, a ring? It had to be of great importance and would grab the attention of Dumbledore. I had found it when I was searching for my extra set of ink bottles for the new school year. I crawled under my bed and caught my forearm on a loose board, leaving a nasty gash that would surely scar.

Now it was my solemn duty to get it to Hogwarts and into Dumbledore's hands as soon as possible. The ring was not to be considered lightly. I had enough wit to understand that anything connected to the Dark Lord had some importance. I kept quiet about the item in question and waited patiently for my sixth year at Hogwarts.

I lived in Devon, the countryside of England. Daughter of Fredrick and Iris Hainsworth. My family name was well known in the Wizarding World. My father worked in the ministry while my mother was editor for the Daily Prophet. We were pure-bloods, related to the Malfoys, Blacks, and LeStanges. All I know to be Death Eaters. But my Mum and Dad were not apart of them, their hands clean of that mess.

I was very unlike my parents. Instead of being very logical and cynical, I was a daydreamer. They always followed their minds, not their hearts. Even our appearances set us apart. While my mother had dirty blonde hair and a narrow face and my father dark-headed and hazel eyes. I came out with orangish-red waves and frosted blue eyes. I only inherited their fair skin. I was often mistaken for a Weasley, being a "ginger".

I was Born Eleanor Temperance Hainsworth, on August 12, 1978. Now barely seventeen, I was already in line to be an ambassador in the Department of International Cooperation in the Ministry. I've traveled to many places in the past summers and holidays, the foreign Ministries interesting me.

I had friends, though non close. My surname was intimidating, and being related to death eaters didn't help. Mostly I just went through school, exceeding my classes and studying. My parents pushed me to be the best in my year. It earned me the reputation of a snob, aristocrat and prude.

I was in Ravenclaw, just as my mother, my father came from Slytherin. For my knowledge and cleverness I wore the colors of blue and grey. And bared the emblem of the eagle, mascot to my house.

In the Great Hall Dumbledore gave a speech of what would happen at Hogwarts this year. A Triwizard Tournament and we'd be the host school for two visiting schools from France and Bulgaria. Only students of magical age could enter the competition. Hardly paying attention, I was waiting to speak to the headmaster in private about the ring that I kept in the magically sealed jewelry box.

Whispers echoed around of the tournament until a thundering of lightening shot over the enchanted ceiling, rain stared pouring. Everyone was in an uproar until it suddenly ceased. I peered up at the staff table to see a familiar figure. Alistair "Mad-Eye" Moody. An ex Aurora and dark wizard catcher. He was to teach the dark arts.

After all the talk of champions and the Triwizard Cup I hurried to the staff table and faced Dumbledore.

"Professor, I have something important to tell you, can I see you in your office after my prefect rounds?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Miss Hainsworth, not tonight. It will be dreadfully late and I'm sure it can wait until you have a free period this week. The Tournament has filled my schedule."

"But it's important!" I huffed.

"I will say no more."

And that was it. I was dismissed. Dropping my head I went back to the Ravenclaw table. For now I'd have to hide the ring better. I already knew where. The Room of Requirement. No one would find it, except me.

Finally after supper, rounding up first years and getting them off to bed and starting my rounds I heard the other prefects talking about the tournament. Mostly the boys, the girls more gossiping who should enter. I held no interest for such idiocy. Too dangerous for a trophy and prize money. When I was finished and handed in my report, I went up for the ring and left quietly to the location of the room I needed. Inside were many things students and staff had hidden, furniture and antiques, rubbish mostly. I wandered the many isles and stopped upon a roll top desk and placed the ring I had in an envelope in the bottom drawer under old parchments.

Even when Dumbledore asked me to see him, he was far too busy and wouldn't let me catch him alone. Moody seemed to be anywhere I was, watching me with his enchanted eye. It unnerved me, like he knew my secret…

The night of the champion selection, I was determined to get Dumbledore alone. Fleur Delacor and Viktor Krum were chosen for the other schools' representatives. Then Cedric Diggory, a fellow prefect from Hufflepuff, was chosen from Hogwarts. Then something strange happened to the goblet. The flames turned red once again and two pieces of parchment shot out, causing everyone in the hall to start buzzing. Dumbledore caught them both and looked at the names, then up toward Gryffindor table and my own.

"Harry Potter and Eleanor Hainsworth?!" he shouted. I bolted up from the table, sheer shock on my face. Me? I didn't even put my name into the goblet. I looked over to see Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, making his way to the headmaster. My name was called again and mechanically I made my way to Dumbledore. Some students shouted out insults and the whispering grew in volume.

He handed me the burnt paper that indeed read my name, but not my handwriting.

I followed Potter into the trophy room where the others waited, each of them wearing confusion on their faces. I stared down at my feet, feeling their eyes watching me. After a moment Dumbledore, Crouch, The Headmistress of Beaubatins and Karkarof of Drumstrang along with Moody stormed through. Dumbledore called us both, asking harshly about putting our names in. We adamantly said no. Accusations flurried among the adults. Finally Crouch announced that Potter and I were to be Triwizard champions.

"I advise you all get to sleep. Miss Hainsworth, Harry. Goodnight." Dumbledore sighed, exhausted.

I stepped forward. "Professor, I have to talk to you in private, please." But he only shook his head. I gritted my teeth, this was getting ridiculous.

When the adults left, the five of us remained. We were all stunned from the night's event. I looked at each of them and felt the intimidation. Aside from Potter they all seemed so strong and confident. I felt too small and weak. The Bulgarian was stoic and silent, posture stiff and tall. Dark eyes and very short dark hair. Delacor was maybe less daunting. She was slim, but still taller than me, I was short for my age. Long blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. Her severe features made up for so little body mass. Diggory stood apart from the other two. He had his head lowered in great concentration, but still looked fierce. I studied him longer than the others, he was that interesting.

Common brown hair that was slightly overgrown, fair skin with intense lines in his face. Strong prominent jaw line, high cheekbones, a faintly crooked nose and thick dark eyebrows over grey eyes. He was handsome, maybe more so. Beautiful would better suite him. He held his title that most dubbed him. Pretty Boy Diggory. I'd seen him, both of us being a prefect, at report to the Head boy and girl. He was also Quidditch Seeker and Captain of Hufflepuff.

Suddenly he looked up, as if sensing my eyes on him. Quickly, I ducked my head, cheeks blazing. After a while, we all started to file out and parted to our respective dorms. I entered Ravenclaw tower and sat in front of the fireplace, trying to decipher the riddle of why I was chosen to compete when I had no head or heart for this tournament. I didn't belong in such a game. Finally tired, I trudged up to the girls' dorm and crawled into bed.

The next week passed and it was a flurry of student talking about cheating and conspiracy of the goblet. Even the Daily Prophet was contributing. It mentioned me and that sent the alarmed, yet proud letters from both my parents. They wrote in the familiar cold detachment like it was an article, my mother being an editor for said paper and my father having a serious, no nonsense occupation. Though surprised, they told me it was an honor to have a daughter in such an event.

It seemed the headmaster was purposely avoiding me as the first task was approaching. Moody continued to show up everywhere, his eerie eye always on me. It'd made me shiver when his tongue flicked over his lips and then he'd disappear with the sea of students.

It was days before the first task and I was stumped on how to prepare. I knew my charms and defensive spells well enough, but I was no athlete. I figured pure adrenaline would have to suffice. Yet I believed I wouldn't make it far into this tournament. But I was alone, no friends to mentor me, no guide to support me. I was on my own in a world I had no business in…

The five champions were interviewed by the notorious and ridiculous Rita Skeeter. My mother hated the nosey woman. Her bleach blonde ringlets and horn-rimmed glasses. The woman was a reporter fiend. Always twisting words and getting way too personal.

I sat in the courtyard with my cat, a white Persian kitten my mother sent me as a congratulatory present. She was still quite young and playful. Her blue eyes a few shades darker than mine and soft pink nose. I named her Enyah. She laid in my lap pawing at some string I found from a loose seem off an arm chair in the common room. She mewed and swatted excitedly. It helped to distract my mind. Kept me from losing my head over the mess I was in.

Just then I saw Harry Potter approach, Diggory in tow. "A word?" Harry asked. I slowly got to my feet, holding Enyah against my chest. "Dragons." He stated.

"What?"

"That's the first task. Dragons."

"Are you serious?" Diggory asked, this was news to him as well.

Harry nodded. I sucked in a breath. Dragons? What on earth was I going to do with a Dragon after me?

"And do Fleur and Krum know?"

"Yeah."

I hadn't spoken a word, they looked to me and I opened my mouth to noiseless words. I couldn't face a dragon, people die from dragons!

"Think she's going to faint?" Harry asked. Faint?

"Yeah, you look pale." I said my thoughts aloud, well everything seemed to be spinning, but I didn't pass out.

"No, I'm not going to faint… Thanks for the warning." My voice sounded too high, too scared.

Harry nodded and left after discussing something about badges. I looked up from my innocent kitten's face to see Diggory still there. "Listen, I don't believe you would've put your name in," he said matter-of-factly. I would've been insulted, but it was the straight truth.

"I'll help you. Enough to survive through this. Alright?"

I found myself nodding, my brain already knowing I'd need all the help I could get.

"Ask for someone to cover your rounds tonight and meet me in the prefects lounge." He was straight forward, precise. He was the real Hogwarts champion. He was so composed about fighting against a dragon.

With a curt nod he turned and left to go back to his group of friends, but looked over his shoulder at me nodding once more. I tried to mimic him without grimacing. He knew helping wouldn't hurt his chances. He was just making sure I wasn't killed so easily.

Enyah mewed at me wanting down, I let to the ground to wander the courtyard for awhile and sat down, not thinking, just sitting…

The day passed like it normally did, but I felt far from normal. My stomach was in knots and every time I thought about tonight it sent flutters through my heart. I was nervous and didn't know why. I couldn't figure if it was from the dragons or from being alone with Diggory.

Finally when my rounds were close to starting I asked Roger Davies to take my shift and went down to the prefects lounge. It was a large common room with banners of each house. Couches and armchairs scattered around and two fire places on opposite sides. He sat at a table in the middle, hands laying on top. He motioned me over when he saw me enter through the door.

When I was seated he leaned forward and paused for a moment then spoke.

"The task is easy enough to predict. Dragons are defensive about their treasures and belongings, so expect them to be guarding something we are to take. In order to do that you need to distract the dragon, long enough to knick what it's protecting."

He was all business, face serious and eyes brilliant. My heart made the same flutter, but more powerfully.

"So practice your best spells for that. Which shouldn't be too hard for a Ravenclaw, right?" His lips twitched at the corner. He was teasing me, but not in a cruel way.

Non the less I blushed and dropped my gaze to the oak table.

"What spell do you have in mind?" he asked. I looked up and searched swiftly through my mind's inventory of spells.

"The one that causes an opponent pain in it's eyes. The dragon will be blind and I can get whatever it is."

He smiled, impressed. I was in Ravenclaw. I might not be as brave or strong, but my rapid mind was a vital skill that was needed.

"And you know it well?" he asked. I bit my lip and shook my head. He sighed the frowned. "I told you I'd help…"

My eyes bulged. "No, I can't do that! Not only is it just completely wrong, but it's against school rules!"

He laughed humorlessly. "Then what would you do? Hope you get it right on the first try?"

I groaned. He had a firm point. He stood away from the table and shrugged. "Do your worst."

Cold sweat broke out over my skin as I went to face him, pulling out my wand from my robes and pointing at his face.

I spoke the magic words and rotated my wand in all the right ways. He only blinked. I sighed.

"Put some force into it. It won't work if you don't mean it." I repositioned myself and took a breath. I said the incantation again, but with more vigor and the vivid yellow spark flew out and hit Cedric. He grunted, squeezing his eyes shut and making his stance rigid. I quickly dropped my wand and he keeled over, rubbing his eyes and gasping.

"Bloody hell," he huffed.

"I'm so sorry."

He shook his head. "No, that was brilliant. Maybe you'll make it to the final task, Hainsworth." He straightened up with a smile and blinked a few times more.

"This will surely work. I'm seeing black spots." He laughed breathlessly and came closer. "Maybe practicing that isn't a good idea. Just do it the same as you just did, but hold it longer. That's good enough for tonight."

He left with a small wave and I let out a long breath. Maybe I stood a chance after all…