I wanted to thank you all who have stuck with this story! Thank you for all the reviews and support, it has been greatly appreciated. I'm expecting this series to have 4 books and unless I hit writers block, I plan on updating frequently! I will post the first chapter of the second story later today, so check out my page to find it! If you have anything you'd like to see in the future, please let me know in the comments.

Chapter 21

When he looked back, even a month later, Harry found he had only scattered memories of the next few days. It was as though he had been through too much to take in any more. The recollections he did have were very painful. The worst, perhaps, was the meeting with the Diggory's that took place the following morning.

Harry had woken only to want to go to sleep again an instant later as an onslaught of memories hit him. As much as he wanted to sleep the day away and simply forget, he knew he couldn't. He slowly opened his eyes, only to see the blurry shapes of his parents and Sirius sitting on either side of him.

He reached for his glasses on his nightstand table and slowly pushed them on his face. That had caught both his parents' attention and they leaned forward towards him, his mother running her hands through his messy hair.

"How do you feel?" she asked softly.

"fine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He glanced over at the bed Ara was in, he was grateful that the screen was pulled back. She was sleeping silently, her chest rising and falling slowly. Draco was sitting next to her, his eyes glued to her as though thinking she would disappear.

As if seeing his gaze, Sirius walked over to the blonde boy and laid a hand on his shoulder. Draco jumped at the touch but seemed to calm when he realized who it was.

"Why don't we go get breakfast? Bring it back up here…"

Draco shook his head "I don't want to see anyone."

"you won't have to," Sirius said with a small smirk "I can show you where the kitchens are…"

Draco smiled in response, Harry knew it was one of the first smiles he had sent towards the Professors. He glanced back at Ara before standing.

"I'll be back," he whispered, squeezing her hand. He followed Sirius out of the hospital wing with a small glance towards Harry.

"Where's Moony?" Harry asked

"He's working with Dumbledore… reaching out to some of our old friends." James said. "He stopped by while you were asleep, sat with you for a few hours" James added, knowing Harry always took comfort in the werewolf's presence.

Harry nodded and looked back down at his hands… he knew what his parents were going to ask, he knew what they wanted to know, but he didn't want them to ask.

"Harry…" James started, glancing over at Ara's bed "How was she involved?"

Clearly James knew that Harry knew what he was going to ask for he didn't need to say more than that.

Harry sighed heavily "I don't know… not after what Mrs. Malfoy said last night."

"Yes, but what is it that she heard?"

Harry gripped at the ends of his hair, he didn't want them to be angry at Ara.

"Voldemort said that Ara befriended Alaina when she was young, that she gained her trust and that Alaina let her into the home… Ara was then able to get her mother and several other Death Eaters in… That's how they got past the wards."

While they had always wondered how the Death Eaters were able to get inside, there were parts of the story that didn't make sense.

James and Lily frowned "I don't remember Alaina playing with anyone… unless it was someone from that muggle pre-school…"

"but there was a young girl," Lily interrupted "they had a play date… shortly before Alaina d-died"

"it's why she got so distant," Harry said. He wanted his parents to understand. "Ara… I don't think she knew about it until a few months ago… when she stopped talking to everyone. I think she thought you'd hate her, that we'd never forgive her for what happened."

Lily had tears in her eyes but shook her head "Sweetie, Ara didn't care that much about what we thought –"

"Yes she did," Harry insisted with a shrug. "I don't know why, but she does care about what you both think of her… when we were drinking she said she hated disappointing you, and Sirius."

James sighed and shook his head "Of course we wouldn't hate her… She was a little girl who probably had no idea what she was doing… although it sounds like it didn't even happen that way."

It wasn't long after that that the hospital doors opened once more and Mr. and Mrs. Diggory came in.

They did not blame him for what had happened; on the contrary, both thanked him for returning Cedric's body to them. Mr. Diggory sobbed through most of the interview. Mrs. Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears.

"He suffered very little then," she said, when Harry had told her how Cedric had died. "And after all, Amos. . . he died just when he'd won the tournament. He must have been happy. "

When they got to their feet, she looked down at Harry and said, "You look after yourself, now. "

Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table.

"You take this," he muttered to her. "It should've been Cedric's, he got there first, you take it -"

But she backed away from him.

"Oh no, it's yours, dear, I couldn't. . . you keep it. "

Both Ara and Harry were released that afternoon. Harry went back to his parents' living quarters while Ara made her way back to the ship. There was a sort of dull ache as she walked but it wasn't anything physical. She felt numb to the world, as though nothing mattered. She couldn't even get herself to ask Draco how his talk with Sirius went. He ended up heading to the Slytherin common room before the feast where Dumbledore would talk about Cedric's death.

When she reached her room, she wasted no time in kicking her shoes off and plopping onto her bed. She wasn't going to the feast, she didn't want to think about Cedric or about the Dark Lord. She didn't want to think about where she'd go when she had to leave Hogwarts. There were so many unanswered questions, so many decisions still to be made.

Ara sighed heavily at the rap on her door. She didn't bother moving, but flicked her wrist so that the door opened. She sighed in relief when she saw it was Connor, Viktor, and Kara.

"close the door," she all but whispered as the three of them entered. They each took seats around the room, Connor sitting next to her on the bed while Kara sat in the empty bed and Viktor took the desk chair.

"I'm sorry," Connor said softly, his eyes glued to Ara.

She ran her fingers through her hair, grimacing as they caught tangles.

"we knew something bad would happen."

It was true, they had known. They all felt as though they were fighting for their lives in this tournament and it was a fight that Cedric seemed to lose.

"Hermioniny said it vas 'you-know-who.'" Viktor said.

Ara simply nodded, not bothering to correct the way he said her name. Not asking why he had already seen her.

"I wasn't there when it happened," she said, hoping they wouldn't ask any more questions about Cedric.

"he's back?" Kara whispered, she seemed to be hoping that Ara would say 'no.'

Ara nodded "Yes… he called his Death Eaters to him."

They didn't ask the question, but Ara could see it in all of their eyes. The wondering of why she was alive… why Harry was alive… and if she chose her side.

"I protected Harry until he could get to the portkey… The Dark Lord… V-Voldemort," she said, having never said the name before. She figured it didn't matter now that she was fighting him "didn't want me dead, he wanted me to join them."

The other three nodded, but the air in the room became tense. While they all seemed to care very little about Voldemort, it was clear they had their opinions, they had their side.

"the choice seemed obvious to me," she said, praying silently that she didn't lose her two closest friends. "I'm far too rebellious to serve anyone… I don't give a damn about blood purity… and why would I pick the side of a man who can't even kill a fourteen-year-old boy," she asked with a bitter laugh.

The others chuckled and the tension in the room seemed to vanish. Ara looked at the three of them and it was Kara who had sighed in relief.

"I didn't know you had such strong opinions," Ara said.

Kara sighed and shook her head "You-know-who killed my aunt… she moved to England and was is the wrong place at the wrong time."

"why didn't you ever say anything?" Ara asked surprised.

"You-know-who wasn't big in Bulgaria, but many people thought he was right. I didn't want to make enemies. But with you, I knew you hadn't decided, and I couldn't blame you for your mother."

Ara nodded and offered her a small smile "well now I've definitely decided against V-Voldemort."

"I thought you didn't want to take a side?" Connor asked.

Ara shrugged "I don't think that was ever really an option… My family is too involved for me to say I won't join him so I either have to join or be defiant."

"Ve vill stand by you," Viktor said with a confidant smile.

Ara shook her head "there's a storm coming, and you should be as far from it as possible," she said. She may not be able to escape what was coming, but it didn't mean that those who meant most to her couldn't.

Connor simply stared at her, Ara had no idea what was going through his head. After a few moments he said, "you'll at least have a safe haven if you ever need it."

Ara smiled gratefully, that meant more than they knew.

"we should get to the feast," Kara said, standing to her feet. "Are you coming?"

Ara shook her head "no, you guys go… I believe Dumbledore has a speech to give."

The others nodded, standing to their feet as well. Viktor squeezed Ara's shoulder as he passed, and Kara gave her a supportive smile. Connor held back until the others were out of sight.

"you better come out of that storm in one piece, or I will never forgive you." He said quietly.

Ara smiled at him as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You can't stay mad at me for long and you know it." She said with a smirk.

Connor shook his head and followed the other two off the ship.

Ara found that she wasn't able to wait long, she couldn't stand simply sitting in her ship while Dumbledore was talking about the death of Cedric. So instead, she made her way off the ship and to the far side of the lake.

She stood there staring at the water for only a moment before someone joined her. She knew she should have been surprised, but she wasn't.

"You didn't want to go to the feast either?" she asked.

"No…" Harry said simply, looking at the lake.

"I'm surprised your parents let you out of the castle," she didn't mean for it to sound harsh, but it had come out that way. She grimaced and made to apologize, but Harry was smiling.

"They are at the feast and I told them I'd be at Hagrid's… but you see Hagrid has the tendency to ask questions and try to be supportive when all I really need is someone to drink with."

Ara laughed and looked back at Harry, her eyes widened in surprise when he pulled out a bottle of Ogden's finest Whiskey.

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?" she asked with a laugh.

Harry smirked, a look that Ara found surprising on his face. "I've always been a good kid, so my parents never felt the need to lock up liquor around me… unlike your aunt and uncle I'm sure," he gave her pointed look.

"I see…. And no, they locked it up as tight as they could, not that it mattered… I mastered the muggle method of lock picking when I was quite young."

Harry laughed "It's scary how much you remind me of Sirius," he said.

Ara took it as a compliment. Sirius was a truly great man, even if odd.

"We are cousins of sort."

Harry nodded and Ara transfigured a couple of shot glasses.

"Make a third, yes?" came the strong French accent from behind them.

Harry and Ara smiled as Fleur walked up to them, transfiguring her own shot glass.

Ara complied and poured a full shot "you too?"

"I knew zat eet would be uncomfortable… Zere are so many peeple who do not know him yet will cry as zo zey do."

"you'll miss the speech though," Harry said.

Ara imagined Harry's concern was because Dumbledore would be talking about Voldemort.

"The Dark Lord… V-Voldemort killed Cedric," Ara said quietly.

Fleur tensed but looked between each of them in turn "Zat is what I over'eard last night at ze tournament. You two saw him, yes?"

Both Ara and Harry nodded.

"Was eet him who impuriused you?" she asked Ara with a frown.

Ara's eyes widened in surprise; she had forgotten. "Fleur I'm so sorry… I had no idea what I was doing I-I-"

"Ara," Fleur said with a small smile, grabbing Ara's arm "I could tell zat you were trying to fight it… I knew you 'ad been cursed."

Ara nodded slowly, it had taken Cedric and Harry to break the curse for her. "well… it wasn't Voldemort, but one of his followers… the same one who entered Harry into the tournament," she said.

Fleur frowned looking at Harry and shook her head "what a 'orrible man… I will fight wiz you 'Arry Potter," Fleur said with a small smile.

Ara smiled at the witch, someone who she knew would stand by Harry. "Me too," she said softly. "Cedric would have too."

The others bowed their heads knowing it was true. It had been only weeks ago that four of them stood there, facing difficulties at the same time, competing against each other. Now the three of them stood together, knowing that they'd fight together until the end.

"I've always looked up to Cedric," Harry said softly "I've lived at Hogwarts since I was young, and he was always popular, an excellent seeker, but also kind. He was too good to be wrapped up in something like this."

Ara and Fleur nodded, he had been the most likeable out of the four of them.

"Zis may come as a shock… but I did not know 'ow to dance… Cedric showed me."

Both Ara and Harry were surprised by the news, it seemed strange that someone like Fleur wouldn't know how to dance.

"I had a bit of a crush on him," Ara said "I mean who didn't? I swear that boy could make straight men turn gay… but it wasn't because he was popular or good at Quidditch or even attractive… he was so passionate and had such a strong sense of justice. He was fiercely protective of those who he thought needed protection… He stood up for a young Slytherin girl once, who was being taunted by Gryffindors." She fell silent, she knew she could continue, keep talking about the boy who had a unique effect on everyone he met.

"To Cedric," Harry said, holding up his shot glass.

Fleur and Ara followed suit and the three of them took the shot, grimacing as the liquor burned their throats.

Ara stood amongst a sea of students. There was no doubt in her mind that one thing the tournament had accomplished was bringing the three schools together.

Students from each of the schools were saying goodbye to the students of the others. Ara stood closely to Connor, Viktor, and Kara. She had decided not to go back with her fellow classmates, she knew she'd be staying in Britain for a while and had to figure out where she and Draco were going to live. She also didn't want to leave her cousin, he had been distant from his classmates, generally choosing to spend time alone or with Ara and her friends.

Her fellow classmates had each come and congratulated her on the tournament and said their goodbyes. It seemed word had spread about her part in what happened, and her classmates were surprisingly supportive.

"you'll write to us won't you?" Kara asked.

"Of course," she said pulling her into a hug. She liked Kara well enough, she had become a steady figure in her life over the last couple of months and she thought she was a good fit for Connor.

Kara laughed and looked quickly in Ara's direction. She turned to see what she had been looking at and it was Viktor speaking to Hermione. He seemed embarrassed, a sight that was unusual on the famous wizard.

"Честно казано, тя е на четиринадесет години и ти се изчерви" she said with a laugh, catching Viktor's and Hermione's attention. ***(translation: Honestly, she's fourteen and you are the one blushing)***

"Тя ме помоли да я посетя това лято… Ами ако трябва да се срещна с родителите й? ?" he asked, fear evident in his voice. "Аз съм неудобен" he added in exasperation at Kara's and Ara's laughter. ***(translation: She asked me to come visit her this summer… what if I have to meet her parents? I'm awkward.)

Seeing Hermione's frustration Ara moved towards the two and threw her arm around Hermione. "He's scared," she said quietly "he's never had a real relationship with a girl and doesn't really know how to do it… so you might have to help him along."

Viktor was really glaring at her now, the blush fully spreading over his face. Hermione was also blushing but seemed pleased. "well now that I've officially made things awkward, I suppose this is goodbye," she said giving Viktor a hug. He was stiff at first, but as he realized the goodbye, he melted into it. She smirked when they drew apart and Viktor smiled at her "I told you you couldn't stay mad at me for long."

"You vere right," he conceded, pulling her into another hug. "I Love you bro," she said, holding him tightly.

"Stay safe… I love you too… Vill you keep an eye out on Hermioone for me?" he asked, glancing at the witch who was watching the scene with interest.

"Of course," Ara said, glancing back at Hermione. "I'll let you two say goodbye." She turned and left them be, it should be Hermione who got the last goodbye with Viktor.

Instead she walked towards Connor and Kara once more. The ship was loaded as everyone had said their last goodbyes. Connor wasted no time in pulling Ara in for a tight hug, burying his head in her hair "I love you," he said softly so only she could hear.

"I love you too," Ara whispered in response. This goodbye was different than the others, there was fear of the unknown in this goodbye.

He sighed when they pulled apart and looked around. Ara followed his gaze, uncertain of what he was looking for. After a moment he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind him, Ara realized that he was pulling her towards the Potters and Charlie. He walked straight up to Charlie, Ara's hand still held tightly in his.

"Are you going to ditch her when some other lady comes around?" Connor asked loudly. The small group fell silent, each wearing identical looks of confusion. Connor's eyes were glued to Charlie. "well?" he asked again.

"I'm sorry, what are you on about?" Charlie asked, a small smile on his face.

"Ara… Are you going to ditch her?"

Charlie shook his head "no, definitely not in my plans."

"Cause see here Weasley, you may be a dragon tamer, But I know about a hundred ways to kill you without leaving a shred of evidence… you see there's this thing about Durmstrang that everyone suspects, but is never confirmed, but yes we are taught the dark arts, meaning each and every one of us has a slightly skewed moral compass… Therefore, if you ever hurt Ara, I will ensure that your anatomy changes to that of a female and then you can enjoy having everything you do to Ara, be done to you…."

"You're threatening to turn me into a girl?" Charlie asked, kind of stunned by the threat. Connor nodded with an evil smile forming on his face. "Alright, as strange as that threat was, I can assure you that I will not hurt Ara… She's the only one for me, the only one there can be.

Connor sighed and nodded "that's good to hear… she needs someone like you. You are far better than that Noah douche." Charlie grimaced but agreed. "Well then I'll miss you kid," Connor said, kissing Ara on the forehead. "Tell me if this guy gives you trouble and I'll turn him into a girl," he said with a small smirk. "I think he'll be good for you though."

Ara nodded in agreement "stay safe," she pulled him into one last hug.

With that Connor turned back to Kara and the two of them boarded the ship, leaving Ara with Charlie and the Potters.

"I think that was the strangest threat I've ever received." Charlie said as the ship started sailing across the water, before disappearing under the depths.

Ara shrugged "he doesn't really know how to do the brotherly threat especially considering you're much stronger than him."

Charlie laughed "He's a big guy, what makes you say that." She smirked and wrapped her arms around Charlie. "I've slept with you both… you are definitely stronger."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. Clearly he had forgotten about that or not realized it. "You slept with Connor?" he asked, jealousy making its way into his voice.

Ara grimaced "just a handful of times," she said.

"I thought you two were just friends… isn't he seeing that other girl… how long?"

"look, lets have this talk a little later, I really don't want anyone overhearing." Charlie conceded and Ara turned towards the Potters who were also wearing amused expressions. "'Arry! Ara!"

They looked around. Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Beyond her, far across the grounds. Harry could see Hagrid helping Madame Maxime to back two of the giant horses into their harness. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off.

"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope," said Fleur as she reached him, holding out her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish. "

"I don't know why you're English is so very good as it is," Ara said sarcastically in a bad French accent.

Fleur glared at her, but it quickly formed into a laugh. "'ou are imposeeble.. but I will mizz you," she said pulling Ara into a hug, a hug that she returned without hesitation.

"I'm staying in England, so if you need a place to live… well I'm sure my parents left me something," she said, a hint of bitterness at the thought of living anywhere they had been.

Fleur sent her an understanding smile "Or we could seemply live off our earningz and rent a place."

Ara laughed "I suppose that is an option."

Fleur gave her one last hug before turning to Harry.

"Good-bye, 'Arry," said Fleur kissing him on the cheek. "It 'az been a pleasure meeting you!"

And with that, Fleur turned and headed towards the carriage.

Ara stood with the Potters, Sirius, Remus, and Charlie as the ship went under the water and the carriage flew high into the sky once more.

When they were both out of sight, Draco ran up to them and turned to the group as a whole. "Professor Dumbledore gave permission for us all to go to Hogsmeade," he said, talking mostly to Ara. "want to get Butterbeer?"

Ara nodded "that sounds lovely," she said glancing up at Charlie who nodded in response.

The three of them turned and began walking towards the village, but they had only made it a couple of steps before Draco stopped and turned.

"Are you coming Potter?" he asked, a small smile on his face as he spoke to Harry.

Harry smiled in response "only if you call me Harry," he said simply and walked towards the small group.

"I suppose you can call me Draco then," he said and it was just like that that everything had changed. Ara and Draco had chosen their side, a side that was accepting them with open arms, despite everything that had happened.

End of Book One