Fourth Book

November 24th, 1994
Sixth Year

Ara's palms were clammy and her leg bounced anxiously as she sat beside Nereza and Adrian while in the viewing stands for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.

She ignored Nereza and Adrian's flirtatious banter, and scanned the crowd while waiting for the first task to begin.

I hope Cedric read that dragon psychology book I gave him.

Cho Chang, who sat in the very first row of seats, caught Ara's eye. The blonde, who undoubtedly looked like a nervous wreck, couldn't help but notice that Cho looked even more stressed then she felt.

"Guys," Ara mumbled, Adrian and Nereza quickly turned their heads towards her. "-I'm going to get a seat closer to the front,"

Adrian glanced towards the front of the stands, and upon seeing how awful Cho looked, understood why the blonde was leaving. Nereza was not as perceptive.

"Oh, want us to come with you?" The dark-haired girl asked kindly.

"She'll be fine on her own," Adrian mumbled, giving Ara a knowing look.

The blonde smiled thankfully before leaving her two friends alone. She could hear Nereza mutter something along the lines of— Why'd you saying that? We should've gone with her.

On her way to Cho, Ara felt a tug on her wrist. As she turned to whoever it was that had grabbed her, she came face to face with a broad chest.

Ara rolled her eyes while glancing up, knowing who it was before even getting a glimpse of their face.

"Are you okay?" Fred asked.

Despite the loud cheering around them, Ara had practically forgotten that she was about to watch her best friend face a deadly dragon.

"Well, aren't you caring?" She teased, Fred chuckled while shaking his head.

"Just checking," He mumbled, leaning in closer to the blonde so that she'd be able to hear him over the crowd. "-You weren't feeling like a third-wheel, were you?"

Ara rolled her eyes, before standing on the tips of her toes to reach Fred's ear.

"I hadn't realized you'd been watching," She whispered, "-Quite the stalker, aren't you?"

Fred pulled away from the blonde, looking nearly embarrassed. Aragave him a teasing look while crossing her arms.

"Not watching," Fred corrected while leaning into Ara's ear again. "-Just, checking,"

"Very big difference," Ara nodded sarcastically.

Before Fred could think of something to say back, a whistle sounded and Ara was brought back to her anxious reality. The first task was about to begin.

The blonde glanced at Cho, who'd, out of anxiousness, turned the same colour as a Slytherin tie.

"I'm going to sit with Cho. She looks stressed," Ara said quickly, Fred glanced in the Ravenclaw's direction and nodded.

"Very noble," He teased, although there was a hint of admiration in his tone. "-Keep your head on straight for her?"

And yourself.

"I'll try," Ara smiled, she and Fred then parted ways and the blonde walked over to Cho.

"Hey," The Slytherin smiled weakly while sitting down next to the Ravenclaw, Cho gave her a nervous smile. "-He'll be fine,"

Cho nodded and mumbled something that Ara didn't quite catch. The pair watched as Cedric walked out into the stadium below them.

Ara heard Cho groan upon seeing the dragon that he'd be facing.

A Swedish Short-Snout.

Together, the two girls watched Cedric and the dragon battle, the Hufflepuff seemed to be doing well. He was holding his own against the beast.

That is, until he went to grab the golden egg he'd been tasked to retrieve from the animals nest.

Ara saw it coming before Cho.

She saw the Short-Snout take a deep breath and aim its mouth toward her friend. Not knowing what else to do, Ara grabbed Cho's face and forced it into her shoulder.

The Slytherin closed her eyes, unable to watch.

Cho began shaking upon hearing Cedric's awful scream.

"Ara, please tell me that didn't just happen," Cho mumbled into the blonde's shoulder.

"I can't," Ara cringed upon hearing Cho let out a near sob-like sound.

She pulled the Ravenclaw away from her shoulder; while still holding either side of her face, she refused to let her look at Cedric, who was now on fire.

"Relax," Ara said quickly, Cho was tearing up and breathing erratically. "-He'll be fine,"

"Oh, Merlin," Cho shook her head and closed her eyes. "Merlin, Merlin, Merlin,"

"Hey, wanna know a secret?" Ara asked quickly, trying to distract the very distraught girl in front of her.

Cho, with her eyes still closed, nodded.

Should I really tell her?

Upon hearing Cedric scream again and then seeing Cho shudder, Ara decided she should.

"There's going to be a Yule Ball," Ara explained kindly, "-A big, pretty, ball. It's Tournament tradition and Cedric, who'll be fine, will surelyask you to it once it's announced,"

"You think?" Cho asked softly, before Ara could answer, the announcer of the tournament yelled something about Cedric grabbing his egg and the two girls visibly relaxed.

Ara let go of Cho and the Ravenclaw's head snapped down to the stadium. Cedric was being guided out by multiple Professors, Ara cringed upon getting a glance at his half-burnt face.

Stupid Tournament.

Fred, George, Cedric and Cho stared at the golden egg sitting on the table in front of them.

They looked nearly nervous.

"Should we just... open it?" Cho asked.

Fred and George, who'd been there when Harry opened his egg, had already explained to Cedric and Cho what was inside.

Deafening screeching.

"No way," Fred shook his head, "-We need to wait for Ara, she's the only one smart enough to figure it out- no offence, Chang,"

Cho shrugged. She didn't really care about Ara being smarter; it didn't concern her.

I'm still top of my year.

"Where is she?" Cedric asked quietly, "-She's never late,"

The group had agreed to meet at the library together to open the golden egg, which was supposed to have a hint in regards to the next Tournament task.

"Do you think she's-"

As if on cue, Ara's uncomfortable laugh echoed through bookshelves. The ingenuity of it put Fred on edge.

As the blonde turned into the library aisle her friends were in, she shot them an apologetic look. She was being followed by a gaggle of boys.

Fred's stomach drop. He felt practically nauseous.

"-Yes, I'm certain," Ara was attempting to wave them off, "-The answer is still no,"

Without thinking, Fred marched over to the blonde and stood between her and boys.

"Fuck off, would you?" The redhead snapped. He was much bigger then most of the creeps that had followed Ara.

The males from Hogwarts, who knew Fred and his temper, immediately dispersed. The boys from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were not as smart.

"Let ze lady-"

"The lady is too polite to say fuck off, but trust me, she wants you to," Fred hissed while going to grab the boy from Beauxbatons.

"Freddie," Ara warned, quickly catching his hand before he could lay a finger on the Frenchman.

Fred glanced at her for a moment and then sighed.

Upon seeing the pair lock eyes and seemingly hold hands, the foreign boys who'd followed Ara nearly immediately left.

Ara guided an irritated Fred back to the group, where George, Cedric and Cho eyed them.

"What was that about?" Cedric asked cautiously once Ara put away her things and began studying the egg.

"The Yule Ball was announced today," Ara chuckled, "-They needed a date,"

Fred cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"They- they were all asking you?" He asked, feigning nonchalantness. There was a hint of panic in his voice.

Cedric and George glanced at him smugly. And even Cho seemed amused.

Although Ara did not notice any of that, she was too preoccupied eyeing the golden object sitting on the library table in front of her.

"Yeah, no big deal," She mumbled, stepping back to look at the egg from afar.

"I haven't been asked by anyone," Cho mused, mostly to make Fred understand that it was a big deal.

Ara is available. And if you don't do anything about that, someone else will.

"That's because everyone knows about you and Cedric," Ara assured kindly, mistaking the comment for insecurity. "-No one feels like stepping on the toes of a boy who just bested a dragon,"

Cedric beamed proudly while wrapping an arm around Cho.

"You didn't agree to go with any of them, did you?" Fred asked, scratching the back of his neck.

Ara glanced at him curiously.

"No, I didn't," She shrugged, "-Now, let's open this thing,"

The five students stood side by side in front of the egg, observing it, while Fred and George explained to Ara what had happened with Harry opened his egg.

"It's going to be bad," George warned lowly.

"-We nearly lost our hearing when Harry first opened it," Fred added.

"Why are we doing this in the library?" Cho asked softly, the four older students paused.

Shit.

"We're already here," Ara mumbled, trying to justify the dumb planning. "-And it can't be that bad,"

The twins were probably exaggerating, without warning, the blonde walked over to the egg and opened it.

It was that bad.

Loud, ear-splitting, screeching came from the egg.

"Fuck!"

"Quick, close it!"

"I'm trying-"

As Ara's fingers fumbled with the egg clumsily, Fred ran up from behind her and wrapped his hands around hers. Together, they shut the golden object quickly.

Heavy breathing replaced the awful screeching.

Ara stared at the golden egg, wide-eyed. Cedric and Cho had a similar reaction.

"Is it-" Cho began softly.

"I think so," Ara nodded cautiously, she and Fred were yet to remove their hands from the egg.

"This is awful," Cedric groaned.

"Could one of you explain what's going on?" George asked, taking the words out of Fred's mouth.

The three students had obviously come to a realization that the twins hadn't.

"It's a prefect thing," Cho mumbled.

"Great," Fred groaned.

Ara gave him a sympathetic look. They stepped away from the egg and let their hands separate.

Fred and George were the only ones in the group who weren't prefects.

"It's more of a Slytherin thing," Ara sighed, "-Our dorms are under the lake, if something starts leaking, we've got to talk to the Merpeople about fixing it from the outside,"

"We know," Fred and George said simultaneously.

It was usually the prefects job, but Ara had been doing it long before being given a measly badge.

"That sound is their language," Ara continued, clearly distraught, "-And, I guess we've got to figure out how to translate it,"

Everyone groaned at the thought of having to listen to that again.

"Diggory, you just had to get picked for this stupid tournament, didn't you?"

"Shut up,"

Fred watched from afar as multiple boys, and even a few girls, walked over to the where Ara sat at the Slytherin table during breakfast, only to have Draco Malfoy ridicule them until they left.

Well, at least the moron can do one thing right.

"If you want to go with her, you need to ask," Hermione muttered as she passed Fred in the Great Hall.

The redhead glanced at her and made a face.

"I don't want to go with her,"

Fred was not in the mood for rejection, not that he was even considering asking Ara.

Nope. Not even considering.

"All you Weasley's are the same," Hermione said quietly while rolling her eyes and continuing to wherever it was she'd been going.

What's she on about?

Fred sighed as he walked towards his and Ara's usual spot in the back of the library. He nodded at the librarian as he passed her and she glared at him.

Opening the golden egg in the library had definitely irritated her, and she was yet to forget about it.

"Freddie?" Ara's voice murmured quietly as she heard shuffling by the bookshelf.

"Yeah, just me," The boy's voice called out.

Ara smiled when he walked over to her and sat in the chair next to her.

"Any Yule Ball offers while you were here?" Fred asked, playing his tone off as teasing even though he definitely didn't find those creeps a laughing matter.

Ara closed the book that she'd been reading. Glancing at the cover, Fred saw that it was about Merpeople and Mermish, their language.

"Only one," She sighed, "-I said no,"

"Of course you did," Fred chuckled, mostly out of relief.

"He seemed sweet," Ara explained, "-But boring,"

Fred nodded.

"You find something wrong with all of them," He said quietly, "-Do you even want a date?"

Ara was quiet for a moment before shrugging and picking up her book, she began reading again.

"Not particularly," She mumbled, "-At least not with anyone that's asked me,"

Fred bit the inside of his cheek and nodded.

"Who would you want a date with?"

Ara didn't answer.

"You know, I told you I could do this alone," She mused, referring to the research regarding Merpeople.

"Oh, am I bothering you?" Fred asked teasingly, Ara rolled her eyes while smiling.

"No, but if you're busy-"

"I'm not," Fred assured, "-I've got absolutely nothing better to do, I promise,"

Ara rolled her eyes, and Fred held back a smile.

"-Ginny's got a date to the ball," Fred mumbled quietly, rolling a quill between his fingers.

Ara chuckled while leafing through a book about Merpeople and jotting notes down.

It was the first day of Christmas break, and the Yule Ball was quickly approaching.

"So does Draco," Ara smiled.

Fred nodded.

"What about you?"

Ara's smile faltered.

"Not yet,"

"Yet? So you'd be willing to go with someone, shocking," Fred teased, Ara glanced at him and rolled her eyes.

"Of course I'd be willing to go with someone,"

"I wouldn't have guessed, with the way you've rejected everyone,"

Ara shook her head.

"Well, I don't want to go with just anyone,"

Fred contemplated using Legilimency on the girl to understand what she meant, but quickly decided against it. She'd be able to tell if he tried and would block her mind off immediately before beginning to scold him.

She'd been quite adamant about not wanting to practise any Legilimency lately, although she refused to tell Fred why.

He's been getting very good, good enough to slip past the thoughts I chose, and that won't do.

hey guys :) I MISSED YOUUUU

sorry abt the long wait :( i really do feel bad abt it, but school has been KICKING my ass lately, especially since the semester is coming to an end and ive got to keep focused to maintain my grades!

i'll try to update more regularly as the school year progresses, but as soon as summer comes around there will hopefully be consecutive updates (multiple times a week) since i'll be able to solely focus on writing!

in the meantime, i hope you folks can stick by me! and i really hope you liked this chapter! your wonderful comments genuinely motivate me so much, so if you can find the time to, keep 'em coming! have great day, i love you all ❤