Haley spent the last week of the summer taking it easy while enjoying the company of others. Sure she was fine physically, but she was also aware that no one else knew about her heightened senses, so she pretended to still be on the mend.

As usual, the morning they were supposed to catch the train to Hogwarts was hectic. This morning it was because Mr. Weasley received an urgent message from the Ministry. Turns out a retired Ministry worker called an Auror, a Dark Wizard catcher, named 'Mad-Eye' Moody, thought he heard intruders at his house the night before, and the racket caused the Muggle police to show up. Mr. Weasley was summoned to smooth everything over.

Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Charlie went to King's Cross Station to see the kids off to school. Haley gave Bill an extra big hug before she got on the train and took her usual seat with Fred, George and Lee Jordan.

The boys spent the whole trip speculating on the mystery surrounding Hogwarts this year. Everyone else in their family except Ron and Ginny were in on the secret, and it was driving the twins mad. All because their mum and older bothers were teasing them about an important event happening at Hogwarts this year, but not letting them in on it.

The surprising part was that Haley didn't even get her usual annoying visit from Malfoy and his goons Crabbe and Goyle. She could hear his voice once in a while, but he never stepped into her compartment. Part of her was relieved and part of her was curious. Besides, she wanted to thank him privately for saving her life at the Quidditch Tournament.

XOXOXOXOXO

After the first years were sorted into the four houses, and everyone ate their meal, Nearly Headless Nick mentioned the commotion in the kitchen earlier that had the house-elves terrified, and Hermione was surprised, saying she didn't know there were any because she's never seen one. Nearly Headless Nick said you weren't supposed to see them, and Hermione wanted to know if they got paid and got benefits, but he said no.

Hermione put down her silverware and refused to eat. Haley felt a bit embarrassed as her own mouth was stuffed with food. As Hermione's best friend, Haley would have joined in to support her, however, she loved food too much, and looked guiltily away from her friend.

When everyone was finished eating, those who did eat that is, Professor Dumbledore stood up and started his speech. He announced that Quidditch was canceled this year.

Everyone who played or loved Quidditch jaws fell in disbelief. He continued by saying a new event would be starting in October that would be taking its place.

Just as he was about to announce what the event was, The Great Hall doors banged open. A man who was wearing a cloak and carrying a walking stick stepped into the room. As Haley looked at him, she could see that every inch of his skin on his face was scarred; a chunk of his nose was missing, as well as an eye. In its place was a vivid, electric blue eye that could move in any direction on it's own, as well as a fake wooden leg that clunked every time he stepped on it.

The stranger took a seat at the teacher's table, and Professor Dumbledore introduced him as Professor Moody, who would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

As Ron and Harry speculated about Moody, they watched as he drank from his own hip flask. They figured it was because he was paranoid of everything.

Professor Dumbledore continued his speech by saying they would be hosting an event that hasn't happened in a century called The Triwizard Tournament.

The Triwizard Tournament was established over seven hundred years ago between three European wizards schools: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. That is, until it was cancelled because the death toll was too high, forcing them to discontinue.

The students were excited as the Headmaster continued by saying the two other schools, with selected students, would be arriving in October, and the selection for the three champions would be selected on Halloween. A judge would be deciding which students are worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, as well as a thousand Galleons prize award.

However, only students who are of age, seventeen or older, could participate. Professor Dumbledore would personally be assuring that no underage student tries to hoodwink their way in.

When Dumbledore finished his speech, he dismissed the gossiping students to their respected common rooms.

Fred and George were outraged as they debated how they would enter, by figuring out who the judge was.

Hermione was upset because of the deaths, and Haley silently agreed, though she wouldn't have minded being in the tournament.

As Haley prepared for bed that night, Hermione kept muttering under her breath about slave labor, and because of Haley's perfect hearing, she could understand every word. So perfectly in fact, that it was starting to drive her mad as she lay on her side in bed hoping to fall asleep. Not even the sound of the other girl's breathing was able to drown Hermione out. The only thing that did was the pillow Haley put over her ear.

XOXOXOXOXO

At breakfast the next morning, the students received their new course schedules. Ron also noticed Hermione was eating, and she said there were better ways to deal with elf rights. Ron said it was because she was hungry, and Haley hid her grin behind her hand, silently agreeing with him.

As she was leaving the Great Hall to her first class, she heard someone call out her name. Turning around, she saw it was Cedric Diggory who was wavering at her. She walked over to him, and could see the curious looks on her friends as well as other students faces, though Fred was the only one who didn't looked happy.

"Hullo, Haley," Cedric said as she stopped in front of him. She smiled and said hi back.

"So I was wondering if you still wanted to learn Quidditch," he asked as he started walking. Haley followed, well aware of all the envious stares she was receiving from all the girls, especially the Hufflepuffs.

"Sure. When would you like to teach me?" she asked as she shot the girls a curious look back. Most seemed appalled that he was giving a Gryffindor so much attention.

"How about today after classes. Did you find a broom yet?" he asked as they made their way into the entrance hall.

Haley turned her back to the girls and stopped to face Cedric, so he could have her undivided attention.

"Unfortunately no. Harry, Fred, and George said no way I was messing up their brooms. Though I don't see the big deal now that Quidditch is cancelled. Besides, how much damage could they possibly think I could cause. It can't be that hard, can it?" she asked as she looked up to him, unconsciously batting her lashes.

He chuckled as he said, "Well if we include the quaffle, more dangerous than you know. Though I think for now, we'll just stick with flying. You do know how to fly right?"

"We did take flying lessons back in first year. But other than that, no I have no experience," Haley said, and then continued. "The quaffle is the one they carry like an American football player, right?" She wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

Cedric's face scrunched up as he said, "What's a football player?"

Haley laughed. "Tell you what. You teach me Quidditch, and I'll teach you Muggle sports."

Cedric smiled as he said, "Deal." He put his hand out and Haley shook it. "So I'll meet you on the Quidditch pitch after classes?"

Haley nodded. "I'll see you then," She started walking, but stopped as she turned to him and said, "By the way, I don't think your admirers aren't too fond of me."

Cedric looked around the Great Hall to see the girls giving her funny looks before they spotted him looking, and pretended to look elsewhere, or walk away.

He tilted his head back as he laughed out loud. "Good thing their opinions don't matter. I'll see you after classes."

Because they were standing farther apart, all the females left standing around heard the last part of the conversation. Haley smiled sweetly at them as she glided by, and they seemed to glare daggers at her. She even waved at some of them as she skipped outside to catch up to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"What are you smiling at?" Ron asked when she stopped next to them. Haley's smile involuntarily got bigger. "Just having some fun." They shot her a quizzical look as they reached the Herbology Classroom.

XOXOXOXOXO

After Herbology, the Gryffindors made their way towards Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

When the Slytherins arrived, Malfoy with his usual smirk on his face, flanked by his bully friends, Hagrid revealed the creatures they would be working with.

They were called Blast-Ended Skrewts, which looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, that were horribly pale and slimy looking with legs sticking out in very odd places, and had no heads. There were about a hundred of them walking blindly into the sides of the crates they were in and every once in a while sparks would fly out of the end of a skrewt.

Hagrid thought it would be a good idea for each student to raise one as his or her own. Meanwhile, they were to figure out what they ate, but seeing as they had no mouths, it was hard to figure out.

This time Malfoy wasn't the only one complaining. Nobody seemed to like the creatures, including Haley, Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were only tolerant because of Hagrid.

XOXOXOXOXO

After classes ended for the day, Haley dumped her books in her bedroom, and then made her way to the Quidditch pitch, where Cedric was waiting with two brooms.

"I borrowed one of the school's brooms for you," he said as she stopped in front of him.

"Brilliant," she said as she took the broom from him.

They both mounted their brooms and rose in the air.

"Follow me," Cedric called out as he took off. Haley lowered her body level with the handle and followed Cedric round and round the pitch.

As they made their second circuit around the pitch, Haley could just make out a group of girls huddled by the entrance. Laughing out loud, Cedric asked what was so funny.

"Looks like your admirer's found you," she called out to him. Curiously scanning the area, his eyes finally landed on the group of ladies. He looked at Haley and rolled his eyes. "I can't seem to shake 'em. Just ignore them and enjoy the ride."

She took his advice and quickly got back into flying. She couldn't help the smile that came on her face every time she flew. She loved the feeling of the wind blowing though her hair as the rush of excitement took over.

The moment of euphoria was ruined when her stomach dropped to her knees as she saw Cedric point to the ground going at a speed that could possibly kill him. Just before he hit the ground, he pulled his broom level with the ground and flew over it just as his feet barely skimmed over the grass. The ladies in the stands cheered and clapped for him.

Haley continued to slowly fly around in circles way up in the air. He looked up towards the sky and could still see her way up there, so he flew up to join her.

"Well," he asked as he took in her expression. Her eyes were wide open, as well as her mouth.

She swallowed hard as she said; "you want me to what?" her voice broke on the last word.

Cedric's smile widened. "That's a move in Quidditch called the Wronski Feint. Go ahead, try it!"

Haley took a deep breath to try and stop her pounding heart that was trying to leap out of her chest.

Taking a couple more deep breaths, she spun around and flew in a small circle to get her speed back up a bit.

Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she pointed the tip of her broom down and flew towards the ground. Quickly opening one eye, she saw she still had time to reach the ground, so she opened her other eye.

As the ground loomed closer and closer, she let out her breath and pulled her broom up. She didn't smack into the ground; in fact she was flying above it!

"I did it!" She cried out as she lifted both hands in the air in victory, until she quickly grabbed hold of the handle and hugged it as she almost lost her balance.

She tried to ignore the girls who were laughing at her, as she stopped the broom and lay down on the ground, still hugging the broom to her chest as she tried to get her breathing under control.

Cedric landed next to her laughing. He sat down on the ground, with his legs crossed, by her head.

"What's so funny?" she wanted to know as she turned her heard to look at him while she waited for her pounding heart to slow down.

"You were going about two miles an hour on that dive!" he continued to chuckle.

She put her hand out and smacked him playfully on the knee. "But I still did it, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did. Good job. You ready for more?" he asked.

This time Haley chuckled. "No, I think I've had enough for one day," she said as she sat up and crossed her legs, facing him. "Why did you have me try that anyway? I thought we were just sticking to the basics?"

Cedric shrugged as he gave her a lopsided grin. "Just showing off I guess."

"Well next time wait 'til I've had a bit more experience, will ya? Besides, you don't need to show off to your audience, they already admire you," she teased back.

"Sure Hales, whatever you like. Besides, I wasn't showing off to them," he said as he winked playfully at her.

She laughed at him, and suddenly realized she hadn't had this much fun with someone outside of her friends and the Weasley's in a long time. The last time she had this much fun was with Dean, but that doesn't really count because he was her boyfriend at the time.

They stayed like that, talking for what seemed like hours, until they could see the sun setting and knew it was time for dinner. Before they went to eat, Cedric suggested they get back on their brooms and fly around so they can watch the sunset.

Haley took in the breath-taking view from up in the air. She had seen the sun set plenty of times, but never from this angle. She could see everything! The waves crashing against the shore, the trees shimmering in the wind, the suns colors on the water as it dipped below the horizon. She could get used to this.

She turned to Cedric to express her feelings, but was taken aback when she noticed he was watching her and not the horizon. She was startled to see the setting sun turning his skin a golden color, as well as make his grey eyes sparkle.

At a loss of words, and realization that she was staring, she cleared her throat and attempted to smile. "Nice view," she called out to him.

He nodded and said it was. She was starting to feel uncomfortable because he was still staring and grinning at her.

As the last of the sun sunk below the horizon, Haley suggested they head back to the castle. After they landed, Cedric put her broom in the closet and walked her towards the castle, and asked if she wanted to do this again tomorrow after classes, and she agreed, thankful that the crowd of girls had departed before them.

As they walked through the entrance hall, they got into line. Suddenly, she could hear someone calling out, "Weasley!" Looking in front of her, she could see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle approach Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"This can't be good," Haley said, as she took a step in their direction.

"Wonder what Malfoy wants," Cedric said as he followed closely behind her.

She got to them as she could hear Malfoy finish reading the Daily Prophet out loud. The article was about when Mr. Weasley went to 'Mad-Eye' Moody's house to see what the disturbance was about. Of course Malfoy had nothing nice to say, and was starting to make a scene. He was making fun of Mrs. Weasley when Harry decided to include himself in the argument by talking about Malfoy's mum.

As Harry turned his back on Malfoy to try and keep a squirming Ron from attacking, Malfoy sent a curse flying at Harry that just barely missed him.

As Haley reached for her wand, Professor Moody came up to them and turned Malfoy into a ferret! He said he didn't like when people attacked when their opponent's back is turned, and started lifting the ferret up into the air, then slamming him into the ground as he made his point across. Professor McGonagall came by, and was flabbergasted to learn that the ferret was in fact a student.

"We never use transfiguration as a punishment! Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you that?" McGonagall spluttered, as Haley could hear Cedric quietly chuckling beside her.

"Git deserves it doesn't he?" he said.

Haley didn't agree with Cedric. She was feeling sorry for Malfoy. Nobody deserved this. Not only was it publicly humiliating, it was also physically painful.

When McGonagall turned Malfoy back to human form, Malfoy started muttering about when his father hears about this, which just set off Moody again. He snatched him by the arm and took him to see Malfoy's head of house, Severus Snape.

As Haley sat down between Hermione and Ginny at the Gryffindor table, she slowly chewed her food as she thought about the events that had occurred earlier with Cedric, as the students around her buzzed about Malfoy. Hermione elbowed her and asked her if she was okay, and Haley told her and Ginny that later the three of them needed to talk, before Hermione took off for the library again.

That night before lights out, Ginny, and Hermione were sprawled out on Haley's bed as she filled them in on everything that happened at the pitch, thankful her other roommate's weren't around.

Ginny squealed in delight because Cedric is so handsome, and Hermione frowned at her.

"What?" Haley asked her friend.

"Isn't he a bit old for you?" Hermione asked.

Haley rolled her eyes. "It's not like we're dating or anything. We're just friends."

They continued to talk until the other roommate's showed up, and it was time for lights out.

XOXOXOXOXO

Readingtilldawn: Lol I'm glad you see the connections I've been forming between Haley and the boys, though I'm sure you'll be surprised who I have her go to the Ball with. It's gonna be a great twist.

RockingZac: I'm glad you liked Draco's point of view, I had fun writing it.

Ellie Clemons: I'm so glad you like my twin story. I actually haven't read many. I originally got this idea from imagining if Harry were a female going through this, and hence Haley was born.

Faith: Yes something about a jealous Fred makes me excited. Lol I'm glad this chapter made it worth the long wait.