"Well, it's your hometown, I think I've outgrown
I wanna travel the world, but I, I just can't do it alone
So I'm just waiting on fate to come and wrap around me
Think about all the foreign places we could be

I'll be flicking stones at your window
I'll be waiting outside until you're ready to go
Won't you come down come away with me
Just think of all the places we could be
I'll be waiting, waiting on a brand new day" – Brand new day, Kodaline.

When Viria entered her room, full of dread over who she was going to be paired with, she was met with a very unexpected sight. A pretty little blonde girl of about eight years old was sitting on one of the two narrow beds, crying and being comforted by the part-Veela and most popular girl in school, Fleur Delacour.

"Non, Gabrielle, je – "Fleur stopped and looked up at the surprised and hesitant Viria, "Ah. You are sharing with Gabrielle?"

"I – yes, I think so" Viria attempted a reassuring smile for the little girl, but Gabrielle only buried her face further into Fleur's blue silk blouse.

"Gabrielle is my sister, and she is homesick. Will you take care of her?"

Viria looked at the Delacour sisters warily, waiting for it to turn out to be some sort of joke. Fleur never even spoke to her, not normally, though she had never been cruel like some of the others. But both girls were looking at her with solemn silver-blue eyes and Viria felt that she could hardly refuse.

"Yes, I…of course"

Fleur looked relieved, Gabrielle cautious. Viria had no siblings of her own, no experience with children, but she could sense already that Gabrielle was going to be a challenge.

"Merci" said Fleur at once, letting go of Gabrielle and smiling at Viria, "You must keep a close watch over her"

"Um…okay" Viria was beginning to regret agreeing already.

"Merci" Fleur repeated, and kissed Viria's cheek, "Goodnight"

As the door closed behind her, Viria turned slowly back to Gabrielle. The girl was glaring at her.

"So do you want to…play a game? Or something?"

Gabrielle's scowl deepened and she flung herself into the bed, yanking the sheets over her head and curling up to face the wall.

Viria suddenly had the depressing feeling that she wasn't going to enjoy the tournament as much as she'd thought.

"Even Hagrid'll have a job controlling those beasts, eh, Gin?" George cackled, tugging on one of Ginny's vermillion plaits. She was so absorbed in looking at the new arrivals that she didn't even brush him away.

Fred was looking too, eyeing up those who he hoped would be his opponents – for he and George would, of course, find a way to enter. His eyes fell on a girl who looked to be about Ginny's age, with beautiful black curls of hair and porcelain skin. She was trying to engage a scowling, shivering child in conversation. He edged forward a little, to listen.

"Come on, Gabrielle, put a cloak on, won't you?" she was talking in French; the accent made Fred feel weak at the knees, it always had. The girl, in what looked like desperation, cupped her hands so that the little girl could see and blew softly into them. When she spread her palms, a dozen tiny blue butterflies fluttered out. Fred grinned. The little girl looked grudgingly impressed, and allowed the girl to take her hand as they made their way into the Great Hall. Fred's eyes lingered on the girl's undeniably lovely backside as she swayed past.

"Don't gawp!" Ginny hissed sharply, "It's rude!"

Fred hadn't realised that she'd been watching, "I don't know what you mean"

"You, drooling over that girl! I saw you" Ginny rolled her eyes, turning to Hermione, "Boys" she muttered mutinously, as though she'd had a wealth of experience.

"Boys" Hermione agreed wearily, giving Fred a stern look before turning back to Ron and Harry. George winked at his twin.

"Now, now, Freddie, no fraternising with the enemy" he smirked, "We could be competing against her, y'know"

"Don't be ridiculous" Hermione cut in, tutting, "Those Beauxbatons girls are so self-centred –they'd never bother putting their names in"

Fred craned his neck to try and catch another glimpse of her, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Miss-Know-It-All" – Ron snorted into his scarf – "That girl's got guts"

"You could tell that just by looking at her, could you?" Ginny queried, starting to look mildly amused. Fred nodded in all seriousness.

"Of course. The male intuition is quite magical, sometimes, Gin-Gin – even you might be surprised"

Viria sat with the other Beauxbatons students at the Ravenclaw table, trying to persuade Gabrielle to eat something other than Fleur's favourite Bouillabaisse.

"This is nice" Viria said earnestly, dolloping some Shepherd's Pie onto her plate, "My Papa cooks it sometimes. Want to try some?"

Gabrielle crossed her arms over her flat chest. Viria wished for the millionth time that she hadn't agreed to help Fleur out. Gabrielle had to be one of the most stubborn children on the planet, and anyway, what was Viria getting out of the arrangement? The other students still either ignored or taunted Viria, often when Fleur was around, yet the Veela did nothing to stop them. All she'd wanted was to come to the country where her father had grown up and have an adventure, but after only a few hours she'd been landed with Gabrielle – who, it seemed, was intent on ruining the trip.

"This is very nice" a gentle voice said vaguely, and Viria's head snapped up. A girl with wavy, dirty-blonde hair and smoky blue eyes was pushing a dish across the table towards Gabrielle.

"It's dirigible plum cake. We grow the plums and Daddy sends them to the kitchens here. The cake is very sweet"

Gabrielle looked at the girl, then eyed the cake with interest, despite the fact that she hadn't understood a word the girl had said. She reached forward and snatched up a slice, eating as though she hadn't eaten in years. Viria heaved a sigh of relief and smiled gratefully at the girl.

"Thank you" she whispered conspirationally; then, in a normal tone, "I'm Viria"

"Luna" said the girl with a tentative smile of her own, "I'm good with children"

"I can see that" Viria leaned forward, lowering her voice, "She hates me"

Luna tilted her head to one side, considering the statement, "No, I don't think so. She's just homesick. And frightened"

"Then she should let me look after her" Viria said, trying not to show how hurt she was by Gabrielle's indifference.

"I think you scare her. Because you're not homesick and frightened"

Viria smiled at her, "If you'd met my mother, you'd understand why I'm not homesick. Anyway, what's to be scared of? It's an adventure!"

"Maybe" Luna shrugged non-committally. Viria studied her.

"How do you get to know so much about people?"

"From being on the outside, I suppose. It gives you time to observe, and to understand"

"You know, I understand the outside thing. We left Beauxbatons four days ago and you're the only person who's said a kind word to me in all that time - and that's including the people I came here with"

Luna smiled too, "I'm glad. Daddy always said I should have been a Hufflepuff"

That night, as Viria tried to force herself into sleep, Gabrielle spoke her first words in four days.

"Viria?"

"Mhm?" Viria tried not to sound too eager, but she sat up so quickly that she cracked her head on the bedpost.

"That girl Luna was nice"

Viria smiled into the darkness, rubbing her head, "Yes, she was, wasn't she? I hope we'll see her again"

"Me too"

Silence fell again. Viria smiled in triumph as she lay her aching head upon the pillow.