Here's my third chapter. Please review and let me know your reading it. I update the storied that I know are being read faster and I only know that my reviews.

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Van 'Mark' Baddock shoved his way through the other students to the small cluster of his Year-mates. He saw Edward Boles and Miles Bletchley standing next to Hunter Dethart. Mark came up behind them and leaned on his friends.

"So, where's Charlie?" he drawled. With identical glares, they shoved him back.

"Lost, probably. Either that or he decided to swim straight to Common Room with all this rain." Miles remarked, pushing a Hufflepuff who had gotten too close. He jerked forward and turned to see a annoyed Charlie, who had just struck him.

"I was not lost. Some Gryffie Second Year decided to not watch where he was going and fell on his face right in front of me. It was too good an opportunity to pass up." He grinned in remembered amusement. The group of Fifth year Slytherins started toward the Great Hall, passing by Peeves, then a furious McGonagall.

"It seems Peeves started Term out with a bang," Hunter commented. They all snickered as they passed through the double doors. Mark frowned slightly as he realized that something wasn't right. They were all present and accounted for, but something was missing.

A small girl in Slytherin green slid silently into the middle of the group, right behind Hunter. No one paid any attention to the little shadow, they never did. For the most part, they never even thought about her. Mark noticed her this time only because he was looking for whatever wasn't right. Who was she? She was always around. After a moment it came to him. Tania Dethart, Hunter's sister, Hunter's shadow. His attention wandered to a horrible joke Ed was making and she was forgotten again.

They all claimed seats near the center of the table. Mark saw several other groups of Purebloods clustered together. Malfoy, with his puppets, Crabbe and Goyle, sat near the Seventh Years as if he owned the place. Parkinson and Bulstrode hovered near the blonde boy. Alexandria Bellmonte held court between Malfoy's group and theirs.

He could pick out groups of others, but he couldn't put names to them all. Mark sat down next to Miles on his left and Ed on the right. Charlie sat across from Ed and Hunter took a seat opposite Miles, leaving an empty place next to him. Hunter always left an empty seat next to him. Unnoticed Tania slid into this last chair.

"The Sorting will now begin." McGonagall's voice cut through all the conversations. Mark turned in his seat to watch.

"Hey," Miles elbowed him. Mark glanced over, arching an eyebrow in question.

"Why are you watching? We never watch." Miles whispered.

Mark pointed to a first year, a boy with sandy brown hair. "Younger brother." He mouthed. Miles nodded in understanding and joined him in watching the Sorting. Making sure younger siblings followed the family tradition was important. He remembered the humiliation Hunter felt when his brother was Sorted into Ravenclaw. At least his sister had been found worthy.

Distracted for a second, Mark scanned the other Third Years for Tania and frowned. He couldn't find her among her year-mates. After glancing back at the Sorting to make sure he wouldn't miss his brother, he looked up and down the table for the missing girl. She was no where to be seen. But everyone had to come to the first Feast and he had seen her earlier, hadn't he? Where...oh that's right, she had walked next to Hunter into the Hall.

Finally he looked to the empty seat next to Hunter and gave a short chuckle under his breath. She was right in front of him, sitting in the 'empty' seat. She had her eyes fixed on the Sorting, not missing one detail. She did not appear to notice him looking at her.

"Baddock, Malcolm." Mark whirled around as his brother climbed the few steps to the stool and the Hat. He was proud to note that Malcolm did not betray nerves or uncertainty. The Hat was placed on his head and after the briefest of seconds it called, "SLYTHERIN!"

Mark released a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding as his brother grinned and made his way over to the table. He paused as he passed his older brother. Mark put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done, Malcolm." He said.

Another grin was gifted to his brother, "Thanks, Donavan." His Year-mates laughed. Mark growled at them, then faced his brother.

"They call me Mark, long story, or Van." He explained. Malcolm winced.

"Sorry, I won't forget." He vowed. Mark lightly cuffed his brother upside the head.

"No big deal. I'll talk to you in Common Room." He said and Malcolm moved off to sit with his Year-Mates.

Mark turned back to his friends. "That's all I wanted to see." He pulled out several small red paper balls. "Quidditch anyone?" There was a quick scramble as they set up. Using their fingers as 'goals', each team took turned flicking the paper balls through the 'goals'. The score was tied at 210, when Hunter lost his amazing aim and the Quaffle soared across the gap between tables and hit a Gryffindor girl in the back of the head. She turned around angrily.

"You have a problem, Kitty?" Charlie sneered. She frowned.

"That's not my name," she hissed. He and Miles exchanged looked and Charlie tapped his House crest. She glanced at her own robes.

"Such a pretty, harmless little kitty," he snickered. She turned a dark red.

"Welcome to a new term. I am pleased to see every face here. And now, I have only two words to say, 'Tuck in'." Dumbledore cut off the Gryffindor's retort and food appeared on all the Tables. Miles and Charlie shot the girl identical sneers before turning back to their food.

After every student had stuffed themselves completely, Dumbledore rose once more. He raised his hands for silence and mostly got it. "So! Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices." The Slytherin boys tuned out the Professor, until his last announcement, which caught the attention of every person in the Hall.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year. This is due to an event that will be starting in October and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy. But I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts..."

Thunder, followed by a slamming door, echoed through the Hall. A figure in a black traveling cloak stood in the doorway, leaning on a long staff. A man with a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair, slowly made his way to the Teachers' table. He and Dumbledore shook hands and he sat down on the right of the Headmaster.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody." Silence met his introduction. Only Professor Dumbledore and Hagrid clapped.

"As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not be held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the TriWizard will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

One of the Weasleys yelled, "YOU'RE JOKING!" Several Slytherins rolled their eyes.

"Can't those idiots keep their mouths shut for a minute?" Mark complained.

"I think that's beyond their intellectual abilities," Hunter informed him.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," the Headmaster continued, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar..." "Er.. but maybe this is not the time...no... where was I? Ah, yes, the TriWizard Tournament, Well, some of you will not know what this Tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation and allow their attention to wander freely." Given permission, the Fifth Years returned to their Quidditch game until released to their Common Rooms and bed.