Rory got back to school during classes. She was still exhausted and was told to rest for another day before going back to classes, so she headed straight to her dorm and climbed into bed. She was sick of being in bed, but the brief chat she had with Dumbledore when she returned, plus the subsequent walk from his office to Gryffindor Tower left her utterly spent.

She'd let herself drift to sleep for just a little while before the obvious sound of her companions roused her.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to face the music," Matilda said. Her weight came down on the bed beside her.

She opened her eyes and sat up. Matilda was there on the bed beside her. Harry, Neville, Ron, and Hermione were also there.

"Hello," Rory said.

"I tried to get her to wait until you woke up on your own, but you know how she gets," Neville said.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked.

"Tired mostly. Still a bit foggy," she said. "I don't remember much about what happened aside from not feeling well."

"It was quite scary," Matilda said.

"You had a fit in the hospital wing. You kept trying to talk but none of your words were coming out properly," Harry said.

"But you're all better now," Matilda said patting Rory's leg. "And now you have to explain yourself."

"Explain how I was poisoned?" Rory asked.

"No. About how Sirius Black isn't actually a serial killer and that you're actually quite good pen pals and how Peter Pettigrew is still alive and how you're an honest to goodness seer and when you saw Crouch die you were in the forest because you were having Divination lessons with a centaur," Matilda said.

Rory looked to Harry. "You told them?"

"We didn't really give him much of a choice in the matter," Neville said. "And by 'we' I obviously mean Mattie."

"I can't believe you didn't tell us. Merlin, you're like our sister, Rory. You can tell us anything. You don't have to keep all this to yourself," Matilda said. "No wonder you've been…" She sighed. "We can help you, you know?" She tossed her arms around Rory and started crying.

Rory patted her head. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you. I just-."

"It's a lot," Neville said. "We get it."

"But no more secrets. I will find out, Aurora," Matilda said. She looked over to Harry. "That goes for you too, Potter. We're all in this together. What's that thing you always say I am?"

"Annoying?" Rory asked.

"No. The thing about dying," Matilda said.

"Ride or die?" Rory asked.

"Yes. Ride or die," Matilda said. "We should get tattoos."

"Or make a blood pact," Rory said.

"A club where to join you have to make the blood pact," Matilda said.

"Sounds dangerously close to a cult, but I'll allow it," Rory said.

Neville sighed.

"Don't sound so exasperated, Nev Nev. You love us," Matilda said.

"Sometimes I think it's Stockholm Syndrome," Neville said.

"Immersion therapy," Rory said.

"An acquired taste," Matilda said.

"Can I just, sorry," Harry said chimed in. "Moody. We're pretty sure he tried to poison you."

"He didn't try. He succeeded," Rory said. "He tried to kill me."

"What do you remember about that day?" Neville asked.

"It was normal until Harry fell asleep in Divination," Rory said. "After that things are kind of foggy."

"Do they know how you got poisoned?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, actually," Rory said. She reached up and pulled the neck of her shirt to the side to reveal a small patch of bruised, angry skin. "Likely a needle or something. I avoided getting the full dose."

"You were right," Ron said nudging Harry.

"Wish I wasn't," Harry said.

"You saw him do it?" Rory asked.

"He touched your shoulder after we left Dumbledore's office. He stopped us in the corridor to talk," Hermione said.

"But you flinched away from him really quickly," Harry said. "Probably saved your life."

"Well, that sounds good, but we can't prove any of this," Rory said. "And he won't try to immediately kill me again."

"So we should go on like nothing happened?" Neville asked.

"You have to keep pretending that at the very least you don't suspect Moody tried to kill me. The whole reason he's trying to kill me is that I know he isn't who he says he is," Rory said.

"Thank goodness term is almost over," Matilda said. "This is a nightmare."

The morning of the third task finally arrived. Rory was almost certain she was more nervous about the maze than Harry was. She woke up that morning and despite the warm, sunny day it was, she felt a sense of impending doom. She couldn't even shake it enough to put on a brave face. She knew something awful was going to happen.

The first thing that happened was that Rita Skeeter had turned out an article about Harry.

"'Harry Potter: Disturbed and Dangerous'," Hermione read the headline.

"It talks about your scar and you being a parselmouth and everything," Ron said.

"Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?" Harry said, almost with a laugh.

"How is she getting her information?" Hermione asked.

"I'd certainly like to know that as well," Rory said as she read through the article. Then she groaned as she scanned over a sentence bearing her own name. "Listen to this: 'It is unsurprising that Potter has found romance in the arms of Aurora Lupin, daughter of the fugitive serial killer, Sirius Black. Who knows how her dark roots may have influenced Potter, or what ties to dark magic the pair may have.'"

"At least they didn't mention your dad this time," Harry said.

"A small comfort," Rory said. "How is this not bothering you? This is more serious than that nonsense she was spewing about who I was dating. And again, how's she getting her information?"

"She's not getting everything," Harry pointed out. "No mention of you being a-." She shushed him. "Think she's listening? Hermione keeps insisting she can't bug the school."

Hermione gasped. "I think I know how she's doing it."

"How?" Rory asked.

But Hermione didn't say a word. She got up from the table and dashed from the Great Hall.

"Well, she'll be back eventually," Ron said. He looked to Rory. "You look a bit peaky, don't mind me saying."

Rory was on her third cup of chamomile tea for breakfast. She was hopeful that the tea would calm her nerves, but to no avail. She had no doubt that she looked peaky.

"I think I need some air," Rory said. "I might take a walk."

"I'll go with you," Harry said.

"Perfect. I was thinking I could do with a nap," Ron said.

"We just woke up," Rory said.

"That makes no difference to me," Ron said getting up from the table. "Enjoy your walk."

Rory pouted and she felt Harry's hand on the small of her back. "Come on. Let's go."

There were lots of eyes following them as they walked from the castle. Rory had gotten used to ignoring them over the course of the last several months, but today their gazes felt heavier. It wasn't just that they were speculating about whether or not Rory was sneaking around on Harry. Now they were wondering if either of them were part of the next generation of Deatheaters or if they were just plain crazy.

And she didn't feel good at all. She was so worried about what the rest of the day was going to bring. She couldn't fathom how Harry was being so calm. Every nerve ending on her body was on high alert.

"You've got to relax, Fish," Harry said as they reached the Black Lake. "You look like you're going to snap in two from the stress of it all."

Rory looked down into the deep, murky water. "I can't believe you're so calm."

"There's nothing to do but face it at this point," Harry said. "Can't run away from it. I think going back to the Dursleys is going to be worse than anything I face in there." She sat down at the edge of the water, and Harry sat beside her.

"If you could feel this… It's more than a feeling. It's a knowing. It's knowing that something bad is going to happen. But I don't know what that bad thing is," Rory said. "Trelawney and Firenze keep telling me that to not be afraid I have to look further into the darkness. If I want answers I have to face the fear and see beyond it… But I…"

Tears stung her eyes. She wiped them away and looked over to Harry and took his hand.

"I'm afraid that I'll see something happen to you and I won't be able to stop it. That it'll be just like what happened to Crouch but it'll be worse because it'll be you," Rory said. He pushed his fingers back through her hair. His hand came to rest on the side of her face. He was comforting her when he was the one in danger. How was she this lucky? "Harry I… I have to tell you something. I've wanted to tell you for a while and..."

But Harry stopped her. He kissed her so fiercely that she suddenly couldn't breathe. She was stunned. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder to hold herself up. She felt like she might fall away, like she might fall all the way into him if she didn't stop herself.

He pulled away from her, but not far. She looked into his eyes, and he was so close to her. She could close the gap if she leaned in less than an inch.

"Tell me after the third task is over," Harry said.

"What?" she asked.

"Tell me what you wanted to say after the last task," he said again.

"But I-."

He kissed her again. "I know. I know. And I…" He seemed to search for the right words, but instead shook his head and found it easier to simply kiss her again. "Just tell me after, okay? No matter what happens, I promise I'm going to be there after the third task for you to tell me. And so are you."

"You can't know that," Rory said.

"But I do," he said. "Something bad might happen today, but I promise whatever it is, we're both going to come out the other side of it. I promise."

Rory felt tears falling from her eyes again. He reached up and wiped them away. And she wanted to tell him she loved him. Because she really did. She was so in love with him. But he knew. And he didn't want her to tell him until after the third task. Because he promised he'd be fine.

She buried her face in his chest. "I'll tell you after."

After their chat by the lake, Rory's mood improved a bit. Harry could tell she was still worried, she still felt whatever it was that she was feeling, but she managed to at least pretend that the world wasn't ending.

Just before dinner, Professor McGonagall took Harry from the Common Room and lead him down to the Great Hall. First he saw the other three champions with people were unmistakably their families. Harry recognized Gabrielle Delacour from the second task, and the Dealcours were as strikingly lovely as their children.

Harry also recognized Amos Diggory, Cedric's father, from the World Cup. He saw Harry and his eyes narrowed unfavorably upon him.

Viktor's parents were both and stockily built just like their son was.

Initially Harry wanted to run away from the room. He couldn't imagine the Dursleys would show up, and if they had he didn't really want to see them. But then he saw two familiar people and his heart leapt.

Mrs. Weasley stood, fussing over Ron's oldest brother, Bill (who Harry only recognized from photographs). Beside them stood Lupin, Rory's dad.

Professor McGonagall happily ushered Harry forward. His feet carried him quickly over to his "family" and he embraced Mrs. Weasley tightly.

"It's so good to see you," Mrs. Weasley said.

"What are you two doing here?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore told us you needed family here for the last task and we couldn't very well have no one show up for you," Lupin said.

"Thank you," Harry said hugging him.

"Oh, and Harry, this is Bill," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Nice to finally meet you. I think I'm the only Weasley who hasn't," Bill said.

Harry had heard lots of things about Bill. He was a curse breaker for Gringotts and spent a lot of time traveling. Ron seemed to admire him most out of all his brothers. Harry could tell why. Bill was handsome and exuded coolness.

"Bill's actually here for work," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I put something pretty tricky in the maze for you," Bill said with a wink.

Harry could only imagine what was in store for him.

"How are you feeling? Nervous?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Harry nodded. "I was trying not to be. I think Rory is nervous enough for the both of us, honestly."

"Oh, right, the girlfriend," Bill said. "I'm impressed honestly. The papers have not been nice to her."

"People were sending her hate mail," Harry said. "I told her I wouldn't blame her for breaking up with me, but I guess she really likes me for some reason."

"Oh, what's not to like," Mrs. Weasley said as she attempted to tidy his perpetually disheveled hair.

They chatted for a while and soon the students started filling the hall. Mrs. Weasley and Bill walked off to visit with the rest of her children, though Harry didn't see Ron, Hermione, and Rory yet.

Harry stood silently with Lupin for a few moments before he finally spoke.

"Things are going well then?" Lupin asked.

Harry looked at him. "You mean with Rory?"

Lupin nodded. "Rory always says things are fine, but I think she holds things back."

Harry believed that. "She says she doesn't want to trouble you. I even told her to tell you about the hate mail when she started getting it. But she said it wasn't a big deal. I think she worries about you."

"She does that," Lupin said with a sigh. "I think she forgets sometimes which of us is the parent and which is the child."

Harry glanced up at the door to the Great Hall and spotted Rory and Matilda, arm in arm. They saw Mrs. Weasley and dashed over to hug her.

"Thank you for looking after her," Lupin said. "I can tell she likes you quite a lot. It's a comfort that you care about her a lot as well."

Harry nodded. "I think she's too good for me. But she gets upset when I say that. She thinks I should have a better opinion of myself."

By now Rory had spotted Lupin and Harry. She was saying something to Matilda and was trying not to stare over at the pair of them.

"Should go say hello then," Lupin said. "Thank you for the chat."

"I think you should know," Harry said without thinking, "she's been having nightmares. And she doesn't sleep well. She's doing better lately, but some days… She's not great some days. I worry about her. Even though she tries to worry about everyone else."

Lupin nodded and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you for telling me," Lupin said.

Harry nodded. It was a little strange that he was close to his girlfriend's dad. He'd showed up for Harry today because he knew Harry had no one else, and he cared about Harry. But Rory was also his daughter. And he was dating her. Harry had no idea how to navigate a relationship with his girlfriend's dad. He barely knew how to have a girlfriend.

They walked over to the Gryffindor table where Lupin was accosted by several students happily hugging him and telling them how much they missed him. Matilda was last in line to hug him and Rory grabbed her hips and pulled her away.

"Honestly, not going to let me hug my own dad?" Rory asked taking her dad into her arms.

"I'm sorry that everyone likes your dad," Matilda said. "We've been dealing with Moody all year and he's the worst."

"I think he's alright," Neville said.

"Moody sucks," Rory said, still hugging her dad. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. He actually is the worst."

"Almost done with him, for now anyway," Hermione said. "He could come back to teach next year."

"I don't know if I can do another year of Moody and Snape," Rory said. "I barely have patience for Snape these days. I'm sure I'll snap if Moody stays another year."

"Well, the job is jinxed so something will force him out," Ron said.

"It's not jinxed," Lupin said.

"I'm not sure of that," Rory said finally letting her dad go. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"The rest of the champions had their parents come to watch the final task," Harry said.

Rory smiled at him, not requiring further explanation. She hugged her dad again. Something about seeing Rory hugging her dad, but smiling at him made him feel brave enough to face whatever came next.