Breath of Darkness

Summary: All Isabella Potter has ever done, is try to keep her little brother safe. She hopes for just one uneventful year but even she knows that's a loss cause. With the Tournament being held at Hogwarts, she has more to worry about than ever before.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Harry Potter.

Chapter 1

A muggle caretaker making tea and a light switching on in a sort of mansion or castle across, he goes over there blaming the kids who regularly trespassed. He walks through a graveyard into the flat and up the stairs, there are voices, hard to make out at first but it gets clearer the farther up he gets. Someone comes into view. "No, no, my Lord Voldemort, I meant if we were to do it without the boy" "No! The boy is everything. It cannot be done without him. And it will be done, exactly as I say." Another shouts. As he does another man comes into view and kneels by the armchair where the second voice came from. "I won't disappoint you, My Lord." "Good. We must gather our own Comrade, send them a sign." The caretaker is distracted by a huge snake slithering over to them. After a moment, getting his startled heart to calm down, he looks back through the doorway where the snake atop the chair. "Nagini tells me the old muggle caretaker is standing just outside the door" The first and third to speak looks towards him. The caretaker flinches back as the second voice speaks. "Step aside Wormtail so I can give our guest a proper greeting. Avada Kadavra!" A green glow lights the hall as the old muggle caretaker falls backwards into darkness…


I run my fingers through my hair once more, the fix my jacket as I ventured down the stairs. "Come on, Ron! Your mother says breakfast's ready!" I hear Hermione exclaimed. "Boys being lazy?" I ask as I come up behind her. "Bella!" she gasped and drew me into a tight hug. "I've missed you! How have you been? Summers' been good?" "I've missed you too, Hermione. I'm good and my summers' be quite fine so I have no complaints." I told her. "What about you?" "I'm excited! And I've had a good summer, as well, though I really wish you could've visited again." She pulls back, loops my arm with hers and starts to continue down the stairwell. "Mom and dad say 'hi' by the way. They liked you very much." I bang my fist against the wall as I start moving along with her and shout, "Harry! Ron! Wake up or we're going to eat all the food so there's none left for you lazy blokes!" "Aye! You wouldn't dare!" I hear Ron hoarsely shout at me through the wall. "Try me!" That certainly woke them up. Hermione and I laugh as we make our way down the stairs when we hear the boys' frantic footsteps stomping above us.

When breakfast is done and all of us are full – save Ron who is a bottomless pit of hunger – we grab our packs, say goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and set out.

The hike was uneventful. Ron either complained or trudged behind. After a little while of walking, a voice shouted from a distance, "Arthur! It's about time, son."

"Sorry, Amos. Some of us had a bit of a sleepy start." Mr. Weasley returned as he looked to see Ron yawning. Hermione, Ginny and I look at each other and quietly laugh.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone. Works with me at the Ministry. And this strapping young lad must be Cedric, am I right." Mr. Weasley asked as Cedric jumped down from a tree right in front of him. Cedric nodded, then looked my way and smiled.

I ran up to hug him. He laugh and kissed my forehead as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I looked up at him. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." he replied simply.

"You always miss him." muttered Harry quietly.

"This way." he said over my head to everyone else and we started to walk again.

"Merlin's beard, you must be Harry Potter." I looked back to see Mr. Diggory shaking Harry's hand.

"Yes sir." He said politely and looked at me. "Great, great pleasure." I smiled at Harry and turned back around.

After a few more minutes of walking, I heard Mr. Diggory say, "Oh yes. It's just over there."

"Shall we?" Mr. Weasley questioned.

"Oh yeah."

"We don't want to be late."

"Come on. Nearly there now. Get yourself into a good position."

I dropped to my knees and my put hand on the boot. Cedric laid down next to me, one hand on the boot, the other around my waist. I looked up when I heard Harry talking to Fred and George. "What's a Portkey?" he asked.

"Time to go!" I heard Mr. Diggory proclaim as almost everyone else had gotten comfortable around the boot. "Ready! After three. One, two…"

"Harry!" I shouted. He put his hand on the boot just as Amos said three and we were off. I looked at Cedric, my smile big with a laugh as I listened to my brother and my friends screaming, having never done this before.

"Let go kids!" Mr. Weasley shouted.

"What?!" Hermione screamed, petrified with what he had said.

"Let go!" And they did falling to the ground harshly with speed. With Cedric's hand still around my waist, I managed to walk down the air with them. I held out a hand to pull up my brother as our feet touched the ground.

"I'll bet that cleared your sinuses, eh!" Mr. Diggory joked.

After helping Harry up, Cedric and I ran forward to catch up with Mr. Weasley and his father.

All of us were lined up in a row, looking at everything, excitement brewing within us. "Well kids, welcome to the Quidditch World Cup." Mr. Diggory exclaimed.

As we reached the Weasleys tent, Cedric's father decided that we would part ways for now and meet back up just before the game later on. Cedric leaned down to kiss me and after he pulled back he said, "I'll see you later." I nodded and took my hands from around waist as his father called for him to hurry up.

As I went inside the tent I could hear Hermione and Ginny raving about the inside look. I walked in and stood next to Harry as he looked at it all with a spark in his eye and mumbled, "I love magic."

I smiled. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"Yes." He replied.


"Blimey dad, how far up are we?" Ron complained as we climbed the stairs to our spot. I went to respond when I heard a mocking voice that sent chills up my spine and a rush of anger through my veins.

"Well, put it this way, if it rains, you'll be the first to know." Lucius Malfoy. I spun around to face him and his son Draco, then felt Cedric put his hands on my waist to keep me from doing anything drastic.

"Father and I are in the Ministers' box. By personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself."

Mr. Malfoy jabbed Draco in the stomach with his cane as he said, "Don't boast Draco. There's no need with these people."

"Let's go." I muttered, enraged, and moved to push Harry – who was in front of me – forward towards the next flight of stairs when Mr. Malfoy used the top of his cane to trap Harry's hand that was resting on the pole.

"Do enjoy yourself, won't you. While you can." He said with a smirk on his face. I couldn't help but think that there was a double meaning behind his words.

"Oh," Mr. Malfoy said suddenly, turning back around. "Isabella, I've been asked to remind you that your presence is requested in the Minister's box." And with that, he sauntered off, Draco trailing behind him.

"What would the Minister want with you?" Harry, Ron and Hermione questioned at the same time.

"Haven't the slightest. I'll meet you up there soon." I say, kissing Harry's forehead and kissing Cedric quickly and racing to the Minister's box, ready to have everything be over with and for me to just be able to spend time with the people I love.

"Ah, Isabella, over here!" Fudge exclaimed loudly when he saw me come in. he was standing next to a wizard wearing splendid robes of black velvet trimmed with gold. "Isabella Potter, you know," he loudly told the wizard who I assumed was the Bulgarian Minister, who didn't seem to understand a word of English. "Isabella Potter. . . oh, come on now, you know who she is. . . the girl who survived You-Know-Who. . . you do know who she is -"

"Izabela Potŭr." I cut Fudge off and hold my hand out for the Bulgarian Minister to take. "Za men e udovolstvie da se zapoznaem ministŭr." (Isabella Potter. It is a pleasure to meet you Minister.)

"Oh, thank Merlin." Fudge sighed in relief. "I was hoping it was Bulgarian you were practicing and not some other language close to it."

"It's quite fine, Minister." I tell him. "I've been trying to learn many languages lately and even the people around me most can't keep track of them sometimes."

"Yes, well, I hope you don't mind a bit of wizard politics, my dear." he says with a laugh.

"As long as I'm with my family before the match begins, sir." I say as I turn my attention back to the Bulgarian Minister.

"Tova e dosta zabavno da go gledam kak se opitvat da tranlaste , nali?" he says to me. (It is quite fun watching him try to translate, yes?)

"Naistina e , sŭr . Vie govorite angliĭski , a sled tova ?" I ask. (It is indeed, sir. You speak English, then?)

"Razbira se , che moga , skŭpa. Az ne bikh se ministŭr , ako ne mozhekh. Obeshtaĭ , che nyama da me plŭkha ?" he asks with a wink. (Of course I can, my dear. I wouldn't be Minister if I couldn't. Promise you won't rat me out?)

"Nikoga ne , sŭr . Kakto kaza , che e dosta zabavno ." I tell him with a smile of my own. (Never, sir. Like you said, it is quite fun.)


I get up to our seats and wrap my arms around Cedric just in time for the Irish to fly right over our heads. Fireworks flew up and a leprechaun figure started to Irish dance. "It's the Irish!" Fred shouted.

"There's Troy!"

"And Mullet!"

"And Moran!" Fred and George shouted off the names of some players and the crowed started to chant.

"Here come the Bulgarians!" screamed George.

As the team flew in, one guy did a trick on his broom, causing Ginny to ask, "Who's that?"

"That sis, is the best seeker in the world!" Fred answered.

"Krum!" Harry, Ron, Fred and George shouted with the rest of the crowd.

"Good evening!" the Minister's voice filled the stadium.

"As Minister for Magic, it give me great pleasure, to welcome each and every one of you, to the final of the 422nd Quidditch World Cup! Let the match begin!"


When we got back to the tent, I collapsed on my bunk. It didn't take long for Fred and George to get me to dance an Irish jig while Ron defended the Bulgarians as Mr. Weasley lit the lantern with a splint. The twins and I were singing and dancing.

"Come on! Join us! It's fun!" I said to Ginny and Hermione, who were sitting on the bed laughing at us.

After a loud bang, Mr. Weasley went outside with a questioning look on his face.

Ron having had enough, opened his mouth and said, "There's no one like Krum!"

"Krum?" George questioned.

"Dumb Krum." said Fred, then the two started moving around like apes, chanting those two things over and over again as Ron continued his speech.

"He's like a bird the way he rides the wind. He's more than an athlete. He's an artist."

Ginny walked by him and said, "I think you're in love Ron." And I burst out laughing.

"Viktor, I love you. Viktor, I do." Fred and George started to sing, then Harry and I joined in. "When we're apart my heart beats only for you."

There was a commotion outside. "Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on." George said.

"Stop! Stop it!" Mr. Weasley came rushing inside with a look on his face that tied my stomach in a knot. My fear was confirmed when he said, "It's not the Irish." as he rushed over to Ginny's side. "We've got to get out of here. Now!" I grabbed Harry by his elbow and we ran outside to someone screaming, "Get out! It's the Death Eaters!"

"Fred! George! Ginny is your responsibility! Get back to the Portkey! Everyone! Now"

"Harry!" I heard Hermione scream. I pushed him in her direction. "Go! Go!" I shout in his ear, still pushing him to keep him ahead of me.

I huffed and let out a slight moan as I was trampled, pushing Harry forward one last time before falling to the ground.

"Bella!" I distantly hear Harry shout. "Go! Get back to the Portkey! I'll meet you there!" I shout back, hoping he could hear me.

For a moment, my heart stops, as I hear the sinister, chorused chanted and watch as tents are set on fire. I get up and start to run but soon I realize that I am at a loss with how to get back. Nevertheless, I continue to run, being harshly jabbed and stepped on by the rush of people until I am shoved into a burning tent and am knocked out cold.


I'm awakened by someone nearby loudly kicking what's left of the now burnt and abandoned grounds. I get up as quietly as I can when I hear someone's footsteps getting closer to me.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here." A voice says from behind me. I freeze, chills going down my spine as I slowly turn around.

"You!" I gasp in fear and outrage. "But you're supposed to be in. . . How? You can't be here! How did you-? Is she-?"

"Ah, don't worry, my love. It's just me." He paused, taking a moment before speaking again. "I'm afraid we have a bit of a problem here, dearie, you see, I can't have anyone knowing I'm out. Shame really, I was hoping to have a bit time to play when I saw you next. Though I suppose we could have just a little bit of fun before I kill you."

I raised my wand, ready to fight. It goes on for a few minutes, the two of us casting and blocking the spells the other dishes out. "Protego!" I shout, blocking his most recent curse, ready to duel back, but I momentarily lose my balance and he doesn't waste the opportunity.

"Crucio!"

I drop to the ground, screaming in pain, as the intense feeling of knives cutting my skin spreads throughout my entire body. "Just like old times." The repulsive, manic voice of Barty Crouch Jr. hisses to me and as much as I try to fight the feelings off, it's too strong a reminder, and I'm flooded with flashbacks.

"I knew you were here."

I stared into the wild eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Now what to do with you…? So young, so much potiental, but only just beginning to be as broken as we need you to be. Oh, little girl, the fun has only just started."

I was frozen. I could only watch as the wands of Bellatrix, Rodolphus Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback, and Barty Crouch Jr. were raised to point at me. Tears streamed down my face and tiny sobs were escaping my lips after what I had just witnessed. I closed my eyes, trying to prepare my five-year-old self for what was about to come. Extreme pain flooded through me as the three of them shouted, "Crucio!" all at once.

I drop to the ground screaming, my face lays against the cool tiles on the ground, and I stare at Anna's lifeless body as my tears hit the floor.

"Harry!" "Bella!" I hear two voices shout from afar as I gasp for air when the curse breaks off. I hear him running away, and I can only feel relieved for whoever it was. I lay there for a short amount of time, disoriented and gasping for air.

"Bella!" It's Cedric's voice.

"Stop! Don't touch her! She could be cursed!" I hear an accented voice shout from a small distance.

I try to shake my head, softly muttering, "No. No curses. No more. Please."

Someone drops to their knees beside me, putting their hands on my face and turning my head towards them. I looked up at Cedric's face through blurry eyes and for some reason, I panic. I roughly grab Cedric's arm and frantically turn my head, looking in the direction Barty Jr. ran.

"No. No. You're safe. It's okay, you're okay. They're gone. Whoever it was is gone. You're safe now, I've got you."

Cedric helps me sit up and I hug him with what little strength I had left. I buried my face into the crook of his neck whilst he stroked my hair and whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

"I believe we are witnessing the effects of the Cruciatus Curse." said Mr. Weasley. He stretched his hand down, him and Cedric helping me stand. Once on my feet, I wobble slight and Cedric pulls me tightly against his side. I see Harry and am flooded with relief when I see that he looks fine, a little banged up, maybe, but that's nothing new with him.

"Ms. Potter. Ms. Potter, can you tell us what happened here?" Said the man with the accented voice. I turn to look at him only to see the face of Barty Crouch Sr. and I panic once more.

"No! No, let me go! Get off! Let go of me! No!" I struggle in Cedric's arms.

"Stop, It's okay. I've got you. I've got you." He whispered into me ear, holding me tight around the chest, my hands clawing at his arms, trying to get free.

"Anna." I moaned.

"Shhh. . ." he tries to soothe me.

"They killed her."

"I know."

He spins me around and buries my face in the crook of his neck once more.

"I couldn't save them." I whisper, my voice weak and broken.

"There was nothing you could do."

"She's delirious." Crouch snapped.

"She just needs rest." Mr. Weasley argued. "She has flashbacks when she's tortured like this."

"Take her to St. Mungo's then."

"Home." My voice is barely audible but I try and speak anyways.

"What was that?" Cedric asks pulling back and putting his hand on my face as he wipes away the tears I hadn't noticed starting to fall.

I cleared my throat and tried again. "Home. I just want to go home. Please."

"It's settled, then." Mr. Weasley said, finishing the conversation.


"This is horrible. How can the ministry not know who conjured it? Wasn't there any security or..?" Hermione trailed off.

We were currently on the train to Hogwarts. The past few days had been rough and Cedric, bless him, had spent them with me. Besides the obvious, he was one of the very few who knew who Anna was. He worked wonders at calming me down for which I was thankful for. Though the faces of my family said they knew I wasn't completely better. Anyone who hadn't seen me haunted by my memories before had surely seen the effect it had on me now. Even I knew that I looked like death when this happened. Weak and broken and fragile. Everything I tried not to be.

"Loads. According to dad. That's what worried them so much, it happened right under their noses." Ron told her. From the corner of my eye I saw Harry rub his scar.

"It's hurting again isn't it? Your scar." Hermione asked before I could.

"I'm fine." Harry said, as always, he never liked to admit when it bothered him. "Bella, what about yours?" "It's nothing I can't handle." I told her. She stared at Harry and me intensely.

"You know Sirius will want to hear about this. What you both saw at the world cup. And the dream."

"Dream? What dream?" I asked, sharply turning my head towards Harry for and answer, looking back forth between the two. "Thanks a lot Hermione." he groaned. "Sorry." she softly replied back. "What dream, Harry?" I demanded. "It's nothing." "What dream?" "I'll tell you later, Bella. Just let it go for now. Please?" "You promise you'll tell me later?" "Yes, now please, drop it." "Okay." I said begrudgingly, crossing my arms and slightly huffing as I sunk back into my seat. After a few minutes of silence, he uncrossed my arms and took my hand in his, holding it as he began to write his letter to Sirius.

"How are you feeling, Bella? Really?" Hermione asks, concern flooded in her voice and all over her features. I look to Harry and Ron to see that their faces are the same way and I sigh. I could only assume their minds went back to what happen with Ginny a few years ago.

"I'm fine, really. I'm just tired. It takes a lot out of a person." I tell her honestly.

"But you'll be okay, right?"

"Yes, Hermione, I'll be fine. It's happened before and it probably won't be the last time. I'm still here so. . ." I said, trailing off.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful but when we got to Hogwarts, the whole school seemed to gather around the open entrance hall with excitement as a chariot pulled by flying horses landing on the grounds, nearly crushing Hagrid in the process. "Well, there's something you don't see every day." Fred said. As it landed I saw a huge ship rising up from under the black lake. "Whoa." proclaimed young Collin Creevey from his place beside me. He looked up at me with a gleam in his eye and I smiled at him before turning to head into the dining hall.

"Well, now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well." Professor Dumbledore said, standing at the front off the dining hall. By now, all the students had filled in and taken their seats. Just then, the doors opened to reveal Filch who started running down the main aisle towards Professor Dumbledore, his strange jog caused everyone to let out muffled giggles. Dumbledore continued on. "You see, Hogwarts had been chosen-"He stopped and exchanged a few words with Filch before carrying on saying, "So, Hogwarts has been chosen to host, a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament." The room erupted into hushed whispers.

"For those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together four schools for a series of magical contests. For each school a single student is selected to compete, and let me be clear, if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted. But more of that later, for now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beubaxtons academy of magic and their headmistress, Madam Maxime."

The door opened to reveal a bunch of girls in blue robes entered the room and gracefully glided down the aisle, every so many steps they would turn to one table and put out their hands sighing. All of the boys were engrossed in them while I looked on to see the girls brake into a sort of run. "Bloody Hell." Ron said, his voice a little bit on the airy side. The girls turned to the staff table and sighed with their arms out, butterflies appeared around them and started flying around. They broke apart and got into a line in the front of the room.

Seamus nudged Ron, looked behind him and said, "Blimey, that's one big woman." I turned to notice that their headmistress was a giant. The final two girls came in, in front of her. One danced down the aisle while next to her, a younger girl in a leotard gracefully flipped down the aisle before ending next to the first girl. They bowed together, causing more butterflies to appear as a burst of applause filled the room.

Professor Dumbledore kissed Madam Maxime's hand before silencing us and announcing the second school. "And now, greet our friends in the North, the proud sons of Durmstrang and their High master, Igor Karkaroff."

The doors opened once more and in walked a bunch of boys. They walked a few steps and banged their staffs on the floor causing small sparks to appear at the base, they spun their staffs, making it almost look invisible, then they broke into a run to the front of the room where they stood on separate sides, in front of the staff table. Two men started doing some sort of odd moves and as they finished, one of them took out his wand and blew on it, a phoenix flew around the front of the room before disappearing.

I looked behind me to see three men as Ron said, "Blimey, it's him! Victor Krum." I turned to see them reach the front and watched as Karkaroff hugged Professor Dumbledore. "Albus!" He said with a very strong accent. "Igor." the professor greeted as he returned the hug before turning towards us once again.

"Now, sadly, our friends from the East are unable to attend. Because of this, there is a slight change to the rules. One person from each school will be chosen, the fourth and final person selected can be from any one of the schools here today." With that, the food appeared on our tables and he left us with heavy thoughts in the air, wondering about what will happen.

After a while, when most of us were finish eating and just talking amongst ourselves, Professor Dumbledore stood up, making everyone fall silent. "Your attention, please! I'd like to say a few words. Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"Wicked." Fred and George chorused as the professor carried on.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch." Mr. Crouch made his way to the front on the table, but as he did, the ceilings sky turned stormy. Lightening and thunder filled the room as students started to scream, but it soon disappeared. I looked towards the front for an answer and was rewarded when I saw a figure walk through the near the end of the staff table.

"Bloody hell. It's Mad-Eye Moody." Ron said.

Hermione turned to look at him and asked, "Alastor Moody? The Auror?"

"Auror?" Dean inquired.

"Dark wizard catcher. Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter, though, these days." Ron explained.

I looked back at the front and watched as he made his way over to Professor Dumbledore and shook his hand as the professor said, "My dear old friend, thanks for coming." "Stupid ceiling." He replied and let go, limping back over to stand behind where the other teachers were seated, only to see him open flask and take a large swing of it. "What's that he's drinking, do you suppose?" Seamus asked. "I don't know, but I don't think it's pumpkin juice." Harry answered.

Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Crouch made their way over to the front. Once there, Mr. Crounch then started to speak.

"After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that for their own safety no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the tri-wizard tournament. This decision is final." The room was immediately filled with an uproar of angry students. I stayed silent, silently pondering whether or not I would put my name in.

"Silence!" Dumbledore shouted.

As the muttering calmed down, Professor Dumbledore used his wand to reveal a cup that started to burst with blue flames. "The Goblet of fire." he said. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly. If chosen, there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."


"Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror. Ministry malcontent. And you're new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"

No hands were raised. This man had saved me quite a few times in my life and even though I have begun to build a bond with him, I can admit that he can most definitely be intimidating.

"When it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"

"Three, sir." Angelina answers.

"And they are so named?"

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will –"

"Earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban, correct. Now the Ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against. You need to be prepared. So which curse shall we see first?"

Professor Moody looked across the classroom. "Weasley!" he shouted.

"Which one?" they asked together.

"You!" he sneered, pointing at Fred, who was sat next to me. "Stand."

Fred slowly rose to feet, his usual joker face nowhere to be seen.

"Give us a curse."

"Father did tell us about one."

"Yes?"

"The Imperius Curse."

"Right. Your father would know all about that, wouldn't he?"

Moody walked back to his desk and opened a glass container home to a spider. Once it crawled onto his hand, he said, "Engorgio." Making the small spider about three times the size it as. "Imperio!"

He danced it around the classroom. "Don't worry. It's completely harmless."

Laughter filled the room from the students the spider was not near. Moody flew the creature from person to person.

"If she bites, she's lethal." He says as he dangles the spider over Angelina's head.

"Talented, isn't she?" he exclaims after a few more moments of laughter. "What should I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?" the spider was now floating above a bucket of water, flailing her legs in hopes of them keeping her from falling in. Moody slowly brings her back to rest on his hand.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding, under the influence of the Imperious Curse. But here's the rub: How do we sort out the liars? Another, another."

Surprisingly, most of the class began to raise their hands. "Jordan! Up."

"There's the, um, the Cruciatus Curse." Lee says, slightly hesitating.

"Correct, correct. Particularly nasty." Moody rests the spider on his desk, then stands aside for us all to see. "The torture curse. Crucio!"

The spider begins to writhe and squeal. George looks back at me slightly as Fred put his hand on mine, causing me to realize that I had clenched it into a fist. It goes on for a while, the looks on my classmates' faces going grim and sullen with each passing second.

"Stop it!" I exclaim. "You've proved your point, stop!"

Moody releases the curse and the spider immediately un-tenses. He takes it onto his hand again and walks forward, placing the spider right in front of me. "Perhaps you could give us the last Unforgivable Curse, Miss Potter. No?" he hums as I shake my head.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouts, and I watch as the spider goes into it's eternal rest.

"The Killing Curse. Only two people are known to have survived it. And one of them is sitting in this room."


As I walked into the Great Hall Thursday after classes had ended, I found Ron, Hermione and Harry already sitting among some other students.

"Are you alright?" I ask Harry, sitting down next to him. "You seem a bit down, maybe. Or distracted."

"I'm fine, it's just. . ." he trails off.

"It's just. . . what? Come on now, Harry. We've been through too much to go backwards now. You know you can tell me anything, no matter how much you think I won't want to hear it."

He nods his head and takes a deep breath. "It's just, in class today, with Moody. He taught us about the three Unforgivable Curses."

"What? He did?" I exclaim, shocked. Harry was only in his fourth year, there was no reason for him to be learning about those curses right now.

"Yes and when he got to the second one, the Cruciatus Curse, I couldn't help but think back to that night, at the Cup. That man, that was the curse he used on you, wasn't it?"

I stayed silent for a moment, before quietly saying, "Yes, it was."

"It was terrible, in class. I mean, you could see how much pain the creature was in and then I thought about how much pain you would've been in. You were screaming so loudly and I did nothing. I didn't know how to help you. And then I remembered what happened in my second year, when Ginny – well the possessed Ginny anyways – used the curse on you back then. I hate seeing you like that and I hate not knowing how to help you, especially since you do so much for me."

"It's okay, Harry. I'm strong. And I will never be upset with you, for anything. You're not indestructible, Harry. And to be quite honest, I'd much rather take any form or torture if it meant keeping you safe. You're my brother, and I love you. And there is nothing you could ever do, nothing that could ever happen, that could change my love for you. Got it?"

He nods his head slowly. I wrap my arms around him and kiss the top of his head. "I love you, little brother."

"I love you, too." He mutters.

I look and the goblet in front of us, it's blue glow lighting up the room. I took a deep breath, stood up and walked forward; I held the parchment in my hand, silently wondering whether this was really a good idea when I heard a bunch of rowdy noise from the door.

"Come on, Cedric! Put it in!" I looked over to see him laughing with his friends as they pushed him forward so that he was standing in front of the age line, a piece of parchment in his hands. As he walked forward and put it in the flame from the fire shone across his face making him look rather dashing.

After a couple of pats on the back from his friends, he walked over and put his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. "Are you going to wish me good luck?" He whispered.

"Luck." I whispered back.

"Do you think I'm going to be chosen?"

"Maybe. If you are, though, you have to promise me you'll do your best not to get hurt. I don't know how I'd ever be able to go on if something ever happened to you." I confessed to him. "I promise." Was all he said as he hugged me to him tightly.

"Are you putting your name in?" he asked after a few seconds of silence. I may have been a sixth year, but I was seventeen, I had started my schooling at Hogwarts a year later than I was supposed to. I nodded as I pulled back, his hand in mine as I started to walk towards the cup. Once I reached it I looked back at him as I raised my hand and dropped the parchment in, looking back at the cup to watch the flames swallow it. Cedric pulled me back into his arms and kissed me softly as I smiled.

"Bella." Harry's voice interrupted. I looked at him to see concern written on his face.

"Don't look at me like that Harry. The odds of me getting chosen are slim." I tried to reason. He wasn't having it.

"Yes, but now there's still a chance that you can."

His scolding was interrupted by Fred and George. They ran through the room yelling and laughing as people clapped. They high-fived and stood on the benches.

"Thank you. Thank you. Well, lads, we've done it. Cooked it up just this morning." They each had a vial in their hands and I immediately knew it was an aging potion.

"It's not going to work." Hermione said in a sing-song way.

"Oh yeah, and why's that Granger?" They knelt down where she was sat and everyone was quiet as they listened to their conversation. "You see this?" She pointed at the thin blue line of smoke that circled the Goblet. "This is an age line, Dumbledore drew it himself."

"So?" George inquired.

"So." she huffed, slamming her book closed and harshly putting it in her lap. "A genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dim witted as an Aging Potion."

"Ah, but that's why it's so brilliant." said Fred

"Because it's so pathetically dim witted." finished George. They stood back up on the bench and looked at each other.

"Ready Fred?"

"Ready George."

"Bottoms up." They said together as they hooked arms and drank the potion before jumping into the area between the Goblet and the age line. I clutched Cedric's side as he rubbed soothing circles on my hand. They stood still for a moment before decide they were fine.

"Yes." Both of them cheered as they started dancing inside the circle, laughing. They stopped and held their parchment by the fire, looking at each again.

"Ready?"

"Ready." They threw them in, and once again stood still in the circle not moving an inch. They were fine for a few minutes but just has they had started to cheer their parchment flew back out along with a flame that struck their chests and threw them across the room. When they sat up their hair had turned white and they had long grey bears and moustaches. They looked at each other and felt their own faces.

"You said!"

"You said!" Then they flew at each other and were rolling across the floor trying to throw in some punches at each other as everyone chanted 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

I looked Cedric in the eye, shaking my head. Those two will never change.


That night, everyone gathered in the Great Hall for the selection of the champions who would compete.

"Sit down. Please." Dumbledore stood by cup. As everyone took their seats, I looked at Cedric to find him at his table. When he looked at me he mouthed, "Good luck." "You too." I mouthed back and looked back at Dumbledore as he began to speak again.

"Now the moments you've all been waiting for: The Champion selection!"

He dimmed the lights around the room until the only light was the blue flame from the goblet.

Professor Dumbledore gently touched the goblet, its flame turned red as a piece of parchment flew out and floated into his hand.

"The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum." He revealed. Cheering soon rolled throughout the room as Viktor stood up and made his way past Dumbledore into the champion common room.

The process was repeated as another parchment floated into Dumbledore's hand before he announced, "The champion for Beauxbatons, is Fleur Delacour."

When cheers filled the room again, Cedric and I locked eyes once more. The Hogwarts champion was to be chosen next.

As the third peace or parchment flew into the professor's hand, I held my breath.

"The Hogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory!"

I broke into a huge smile and started cheering loudly along with the roars of the students as Cedric's friends pushed him up. He looked at me once more before heading back to where the other two champions were.

"And now, the final champion." Dumbledore said as the crowd settled down.

I looked at Harry as he took my hand, squeezing tightly with all his strength. "Another Hogwarts champion." I didn't think it would be possible, but Harry's grip tighten even more as Hermoine laid her hand on my forearm.

"The fourth and final champion is Isabella Potter!"

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table as I looked towards Professor Dumbledore in surprise. I stood up and made my way back. I walked down the stairs, the gate opening as I reach the bottom, I see Cedric standing nearby, he smiled as he saw me and I ran into his waiting arms.

"Now you're going to have to make me a promise." He said as he led me over to the fireplace.

I was about to reply when someone else walked into the room. I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I let go of the breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

"Harry!" I gut-wrenchingly exclaimed.

"Bella, I –" he started to say, but was interrupted by multiple enraged voices coming from the stairway.

"It's wrong, I tell you!" "You French tart." "Everything is a conspiracy theory with you!" "Quiet! I can't think!" "Everything is a conspiracy theory." "I protest" "Harry." "I protest!" "Harry!" said Dumbledore amongst many other voices.

Harry spun around in fright. I rushed over to where he was as Dumbledore – and a massive amount of faculty – came in and put his hand on his shoulder, backing him up until he hit the table behind him. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"No, sir!" he answered.

"Did you get one of the other student to do it for you?"

"No, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Yes, sir"

"But of course he is lying!" Madame Maxime exclaimed as she knocked a lamp out her way as she walked towards him and Dumblredore.

"The hell he is!" Alastor Moody shouts. "The Goblet of Fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object. Only an exceptionally powerful Confundas Charm could've hoodwinked it. Magic way beyond the talents of a fourth year."

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought Mad-Eye." Karkaroff interjected.

"It was once my job to think as dark wizards do, Karkaroff, perhaps you remember."

"That doesn't help, Alastor." Dumbledore snaps.

"There has to some sort of explaination, Professor!" I plead. "He can't compete. He can't!" He looks at me with grave eyes before he walks over to where Mr. Crouch stands looking at the fire. Cedric comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist.

"Leave this to you, Barty." he said.

"The rules are absolute. The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract. Mr. Potter has no choice. He is, as of tonight, a Triwizard champion."

As everyone turns to look at Harry, I break out Cedric's hold and wrap my arms around him as I begin to cry into his shoulder.


A/N: I haven't begun learning Bulgarian yet so I owe all my translations to google translate. So if the translations are wrong, please let me know.

Next Chapter: Dragons.