Ariana walked into the Great Hall at lunch the next day to find Ginny fuming. "What's wrong?"

"Rita Skeeter." She tossed the paper she was holding over to Ariana, who scanned it and felt her blood start to boil.

"Who does she think she is?"

"Someone who can slander my father in the press, apparently. And she didn't even get his name right!"

"Journalistic integrity is key to a free society," Ariana said. "So, she's not exactly helping us out."

"That sounds like a quote," said Ginny.

"From my father. He's a State Senator. Always holding open press conferences."

"What's a Senator?"

"Well... a lawmaker, but there's two different kinds, they're somewhat more powerful than the other kind... I don't really know how to explain it, it would require some understanding of American constitutional law."

"Well, maybe you can explain it later. And all of your other Muggle things. Speaking of which, you have Muggle studies tomorrow, right?"

"Right."

"I have a free period then, I think I might add the class."

"Oh, your Dad'll be so proud."

Ginny laughed.

"I can't believe it!" Ginny said. "Malfoy, turned into a ferret, and we didn't get to see it?"

"It doesn't seem fair," Ariana agreed. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione get to see all of the interesting things, and we get to... not."

"Welcome to being a younger sibling," said Ginny.

"Hmm." She looked down at her book. "Is this what it's like? Always being the less interesting sibling?"

"Well, none of my brothers are the most famous wizard of their generation, but... sometimes it feels that way. To Mum and Dad, I'm the baby of the family, so at home I stand out. But to everyone else... my brothers all came before me, it's hard trying to make a name for myself when I'm always in their shadow."

"Well, at least nobody knows I'm Harry's little sister. So I don't have that problem."

"But you want people to know."

"Yes. Mostly Harry. I hate keeping secrets, it's always been hard for me, and this one..."

"I'm sorry," said Ginny.

She shrugged. "I have to learn to deal with it. Can't sit around feeling sorry for myself. There's dark things coming, and I have to do my part to fight them, and that's keeping this a secret. Though now I really do feel bad for my parents having kept this from me for over a decade."

"Do you really think it's likely?" Ginny asked. "That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming back?"

"Yes," said Ariana. "Because Dumbledore does. It's why he told my parents to keep my identity a secret. So Voldemort doesn't find out who I am."

"Oh."

"But-maybe it won't be for a long time." She felt bad; she didn't want to upset Ginny, and after her experience with the diary any mention of dark magic ran the risk of doing so.

"Maybe."

"Or he... could be wrong."

"Dumbledore?"

"Yeah, I don't find it very likely."

On Thursday, the fourth-years were abuzz talking about Mad-Eye Moody's Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and Ariana couldn't temper her curiosity. "What did Moody do that's got everyone talking?" she asked Harry when she saw him in the hallways.

"Oh... he, er, he demonstrated the Unforgivable Curses," said Harry.

"What are those?"

"They're curses that you can't perform on another person or you get sent to Azkaban. They're... really bad. There was this one that can control other people, the Imperius Curse."

"Control other people? Like, to make them do... anything you want?" The thought of losing control over herself was possibly the scariest thing Ariana could think of. Her parents had always taught her not to give up control in a situation, but control of everything? She swallowed nervously.

"Seemed like it. And then there was the Cruciatus Curse, which is basically a torture spell."

Ariana couldn't help but have her jaw drop slightly at that; why was there even a spell for torture?

"And then... the Killing Curse."

"Killing curse?"

"He showed us on a spider... it's instant death... a bright green light..." He trailed off, and Ariana thought she knew why. It was the curse Voldemort had used on his-on their-parents. She put a hand to her mouth before even realizing it.

"He did that in front of you?"

"Yeah."

"That must have been terrifying."

He shrugged. "Ron thought it was cool." But he clearly hadn't.

"Well, thank you," she said, continuing on her way.

These curses were being taught to students? She couldn't be imagining it, the wold was getting darker. And she couldn't do anything about it except keep her mouth shut and hide her identity from her own brother. She debated asking Professor Dumbledore what he thought about everything going on, but if she was being honest, why would he tell her anything? He had told her who she was only to make sure that she kept it a secret; telling her what he might suspect would serve him no purpose. And did she really want to know? Maybe she was crazy, maybe Voldemort's potential return was far away, but this dangerous tournament and these dangerous curses didn't make her feel at ease.