Disclaimer: I do not support Rowling's views. All Harry Potter characters and the Wizarding World, unfortunately, belong to she-who-must-not-be-named.

30 October 1994

After the Imperius lesson in DADA, the remaining weeks leading up to Beauxbatons and Durmstrang's arrival went relatively uneventful, school-wise. To their great dismay, the fourth-years faced an absurd amount of work in preparation for their OWL year ahead of them. Unfortunately for Ophelia, she was also distraught with the 'Malfoy' of it all. Now faced with conflicting emotions for her best friend, Ophelia was unsure how to act around Draco.

The morning of the anticipated day and unusually already dressed before her friends, Ophelia read over her previous letter from Thalia.

Ophelia,

I hope this reaches you before we arrive, but I made it in! Madame Maxime was just as surprised as I was when she selected me to go. Little does she know that I tried so hard so I could see you and Cassius (and obviously spend my last year at Beauxbatons with my best friends). To be honest, if Madame had her way, Fleur or Gabriel would be our champion. Speaking of which, I am surprised that you know Manon and Gabriel! But all rich wizarding purebloods know each other, haha. I'm getting off track! This year is going to be amazing, and I'm so excited to see you.

Love always,

Thalia

P.S. Don't forget to bring your camera to our arrival! I need to have Cas's face documented when he realizes that I am a witch.

Nearly the whole summer and the entirety of their relationship, Cassius was under the impression that Thalia was a Muggle. On the other hand, the second time that Ophelia met her, she caught Thalia apparating outside of the Warrington's Greek summer home. And in the process, Ophelia was almost obliviated. Thankfully with a flourish of her wand and some obscure wizarding knowledge, Thalia decided against obliviation and opted for a prank on Cassius instead.

"You're up early!" Tracey said.

"Whatever do you mean, love? It's only a wonderful day today, and there are many things to do!" Ophelia proclaimed.

Pansy exited the bathroom into their dorm. "Yeah, she's up to something again."

Tracey and Millie nodded in agreement.

"After knowing you for nearly ten years, and being dorm mates for three of them, we've learned your scheming tells," Millie added.

"I hate you guys," Ophelia groaned.

"The feeling is mutual," said Pansy.

As Tracey walked past Ophelia's bed, Ophelia pulled her into a hug. "I'll steal your girlfriend!" she sang.

"Hm, then you won't mind if I take Draco," Pansy said coolly.

"Pans!" Tracey asserted.

Ophelia let go of Tracey and readjusted her robes.

Daphne finally rejoined her friends from the bathroom, but she was met with a newfound tense atmosphere that filled the dorm. "Umm, what did I just walk into?"

"Just Pansy being a slag," Ophelia sneered.

"And Ophelia just tiptoeing around the same blond subject, again. I mean, how many years will it take for you to admit the truth?"

"Pansy!" Daphne exclaimed.

Ophelia slumped into the stool at her vanity and ran a hand through her hair. She was tired of this secret eating away at her life. "Okay, none of what I'm about to say is to leave this room. Alright?"

She was met with a chorus of 'Yes' and 'I swear' from her friends.

"So you know how Moody put us all under the Imperius curse the first week back?" Ophelia asked.

They nodded, remembering the dreadful lesson.

"Well, he wanted me to tell the whole class how I felt about Draco, and I blanked. Then he kept on insisting on me to tell 'the truth' and then it felt like he was making me step closer to Draco. And even now I don't know if it was because I wanted to get closer or because he wanted me to. So I resisted and I snapped out of the curse. Afterwards, I kept on thinking what does Draco mean to me? Because I know what everyone keeps on saying about us. You lot, the boys, all of your parents, the whispered conversations between my parents and the Malfoy's."

Ophelia stopped and let out a humorless laugh. "One moment it's normal, then the next moment I would remember that 'Oh! Yeah, I might kind of fancy you' and I shut him out again! So yes, it feels different around him now, being alone with him feels wrong sometimes. My heart would sometimes flip when he smiles! And not that stupid smirk that he has when he says something sarcastic, but when his smile reaches his eyes and crinkles his nose..."

The girls noticed a gentle smile on Ophelia's face as she described Draco. As fast as it appeared, the corners of her mouth twisted into a cruel grimace. "But, at this point, I don't know if I do like him or if I like him because it's expected of me. Then there's truly the one thing that's holding me back. I don't want to lose my best friend if it all ends wrong."

She clenched her jaw, the reality of letting out everything on her mind catching up to her.

Ophelia pressed her lips into a thin line and glared into Pansy's eyes. "So there. Are you happy now? The truth that you wanted so bad is finally out."

Pansy furrowed her brows. "Lia, Ophelia. I'm so sorry. I- we didn't know you felt that way."

Ophelia snorted. She was very guarded about her feelings, so it came to no surprise that her tell-all was shocking. "Well, of course, you didn't. That's why I'm telling you."

They all stared at each other until Millie broke the silence with a giggle, and soon enough they all joined her.

Ophelia grabbed a pillow from her bed and tossed it at Millie. "Stop! We're trying to have a serious moment!"

Wiping a tear from her eye, "You're just so dramatic, Lia," said Tracey.

"Hey!" Ophelia threw another pillow, aiming for Tracey's head.

Tracey flopped onto her bed from the impact of the hit, groaning from the pain. "Just because the Quidditch season is canceled this year, doesn't mean that you can use us as target practice!"

"Okay, sorry," a sheepish smile on Ophelia's face. She turned to Pansy, "And I'm sorry for being a bit of a bitch, Pans."

"And I'm sorry for being a bitch and a slag," Pansy smirked.

"Good! Now that the two of you aren't gonna duel any second, can we go back to the whole Moody is a creep thing?" said Daphne.

Tracey gasped. "Morgana's tits, yeah! He is disturbing, isn't he?"

"And that wandering eye of his," Pansy wrinkled her nose.

"Which still doesn't make sense to me. We met him at the Ministry when I was maybe seven or so—back when he was still an Auror—and he was actually quite nice. Obviously very eccentric, but not a perv. If it makes you feel better, I talked to Severus about it," Ophelia reassured.

"Aw, thanks mum," Millie said.

"I thought I was the mum of the group," Daphne huffed.

"Maybe the grandmother," Tracey murmured, to which Daphne crossed her arms.

"Ugh, enough about the mum talk," Pansy said, "so this is why you've been ignoring Draco for practically the last two months?"

"I wouldn't say it was ignoring. Was it that noticeable?"

"Umm," Tracey trailed off.

"Duh," Pansy said.

"It wasn't that obvious," Millie added in an attempt to be supportive.

Daphne took a seat at Ophelia's bed, patting a spot next to her. Ophelia sighed and sat down. "I hate to break it to you, Lia, because you're my best friend. But when you're attached to the hip like you and Draco are ever since we were kids, it's pretty obvious that something was wrong—"

"I wouldn't necessarily say wrong," Ophelia interjected.

"By the way, Blaise wanted to compliment you. Playing hard to get has made Draco go insane," Pansy smirked.

"I'm not playing hard to get! I don't even want to give off that impression," Ophelia said.

"What Pansy means is that Draco has been worried that he did something to offend you, and you've been ignoring him because of that," Tracey explained.

Ophelia fell back onto her bed and sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "So does that mean everyone knows that I've been ignoring him?"

"Yup. Even Vince and Greg," said Millie.

She propped herself up onto an elbow to look at Millie. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed."

The others laughed at her comment.

Ophelia continued, "But at least the boys don't know that it's because I might have feelings for Draco."

Ophelia glanced at her friends' skeptical faces. "They know?"

Daphne shrugged. "To be fair, you hid it fairly well. And we wouldn't have known until you told us. But we've all been waiting for this moment for probably the past two years? This isn't a surprise at all."

"We?" Ophelia asked incredulously.

"Us girls, Theo, and Blaise," said Millie.

"Oh, if that's all then I don't really mi-" Ophelia said.

Pansy interrupted her, "And your brother, his friends, my brother and his friends, Astoria, the list goes on, doesn't it?"

Daphne, Tracey, and Millie responded with a chorus of agreement.

"So basically all of Slytherin house?" Ophelia exclaimed.

"Exactly! And in your honor, we've had a betting pool to guess when you and Draco will get together," Tracy added.

"I put down 30 Galleons for Christmas during our fifth year," said Pansy.

"I said it would be your sixteenth birthday, but that's probably too late considering you already like him now," Tracey frowned.

She found it a little funny that their house was wagering on her relationship with Draco. "Need I remind you that I'm still not sure how I feel?" said Ophelia.

"A technicality," Pansy waved a hand in dismissal.

"I'm already out. I thought it would be last year," Millie murmured.

"Even you Millie?" Ophelia groaned.

"I'm not participating," Daphne reassured Ophelia.

"Thank you! At least someone is on my side."

Pansy scoffed. "We're all on your side, Lia. That side is the one where you'll be happy."

"Aw, that's really sweet. But I don't need another person to make me happy, I just want someone to share my happiness with," said Ophelia. Ophelia could practically hear Amara saying the same words as she said them herself. A phrase her mother would always say when she told the story of how her parents finally got together.

Ever since Ophelia and Cassius were young, their parents wanted them to understand that love or friendships or relationships shouldn't be built on negative traits like codependency, but compromise and kindness. Ophelia took that advice to heart too well. Like a double-edged sword, Ophelia was welded into an independent, self-reliant, and strong person, yet she steeled herself too much, becoming unable to be close with others. Too proud to trust or rely on others.

Sociable and charismatic, Ophelia always said the right words that others wanted to hear from her. But she was also calculating, using her index of collected information and secrets to form acquaintances. For years, her true self was only known to her family and to an extent, Draco. Through her friendship with Draco, Ophelia began to open up to their friends as they became older, especially when they started attending Hogwarts.

"Do you guys think Draco knows that I might like him?" Ophelia asked softly.

I'd say there's a five percent chance that he knows," said Daphne.

"And the other ninety-five percent?" Ophelia quickly questioned.

The other girls gave each other knowing looks. Ophelia was particularly good at reading people, except when she's the person of interest. "A 95% chance that he's just as oblivious as you are," Tracey smiled.

"I need breakfast. Too many emotions and it's not even 7:30," Ophelia muttered.

Pansy snickered. "And she's back to normal."

They got up to leave, picking up their bags and wands. "Hold on!" Daphne cried. She pointed a finger at Ophelia. "We are continuing this conversation later! I can't believe you kept this 'maybe I like Draco' thing a secret for two months."

"Technically it's 55 days, but who's counting," Ophelia grinned.

"Don't be a smartass with me, Toshiko!"

Ophelia groaned. She didn't mind when her family used her Japanese given name, but it was different when it came from others. She liked the carefree life she had when she didn't bear that name, as if Ophelia and Toshiko were two different identities.

"I regret telling you that, Daphne Calynda Greengrass."

"That was my great-grandmother's name," Daphne grumbled.

"You were meant to be a granny!" Tracey cheered.

"Watch your step, Granny Calynda! Do you need a hand?" said Ophelia, offering an arm.

Daphne reluctantly wove her own arm through Ophelia's. "I can never win against you, can I?"

"Never."

Then Ophelia broke into a run, pulling Daphne along with her, their laughter filling the hallway. Ophelia felt free, a heavy weight lifted off of her shoulders. But deep down Ophelia knew that there were new troubles on the horizon.

Their last lesson of the day, Potions, ended happily for the Slytherins. The Gryffindors couldn't reign in their excitement at the arrival of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Not wanting to risk an accident in the classroom, Snape scrutinized every ingredient a Gryffindor added into their cauldron. Yet Snape didn't even bat an eye when half of the Slytherins took some of Ophelia and Theo's potion to turn in at the end of class.

The bell rang and the Slytherins leisurely walked to their common room. Unlike the Gryffindors who had to run from the dungeons, all the way up to the Gryffindor Tower on the seventh floor, then back down to the entrance hall within 30 minutes.

The fourth-year Slytherin girls set down their things and pulled on their cloaks and scarves. Ophelia pocketed a disposable camera instead of her preferred camera of choice.

"Really, Lia?" Pansy gave her a pointed look.

"What you can't see won't hurt you," Ophelia said.

They rejoined the boys in the common room and they all headed up to the entrance hall.

Falling into step with Ophelia, "Did you bring your camera?" Draco asked.

His question startled Ophelia. After her morning confessional to the girls, anything Draco related made her want to run in the opposite direction. She even partnered with Theo instead of Draco in Ancient Runes and Potions that day.

"Oh, yeah." She patted her pocket.

"You're not going to use your new one?"

"Unfortunately, no. It's a covert operation, Draco, discretion is key."

He smirked. "Of course it is."

"I'm a genius, aren't I?" said Ophelia.

"Not with that ego, Warrington."

"You're one to talk, Malfoy."

Severus approached them. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Warrington," he drawled.

Draco nodded in acknowledgment, but Ophelia gave a reserved smile. "Professor."

"Whatever it is you have planned, please be discreet or I will have to give you a detention." He eyed Draco. "You as well Mr. Malfoy."

"But I didn't even-"

Severus cut Draco short. "It is by association alone."

"I'm just trying to capture the right moment, sir. What's that Muggle adage? 'A picture is worth a thousand words.' Besides, I think Cassius is the Warrington you need to keep an eye on tonight, sir," Ophelia answered.

He stared into Ophelia's eyes one last time, and she felt a gentle prick in her mind. With ease, she had a shield up.

"Good," Severus said in a hushed voice, then he left Ophelia and Draco to join the other Heads of House,

"Did he just—"

"Of course, and he thinks he's clever too. Ever since the Imperius lesson we've expedited my extracurricular lesson plans. Once a day, at random, he'll try to enter my mind. And twice a week we meet for extended practice," Ophelia muttered under her breath. "Awful, but it's worth it."

Draco didn't reply.

She looked up to him, there was an indescribable expression on his face. She could always...

No.

She swore to herself that she wouldn't do that to anyone she cared about.

"What's with the long face?" Ophelia said instead, opting for directness.

"I just, I thought you would tell me about something like that," said Draco.

Ophelia felt her cheeks flush. He was looking at her with such honest concern, she didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry."

"Slytherin, in a line. . .first years in front," said Severus. The Slytherins swiftly arranged themselves. "Follow." His black robes billowing behind him.

Diffusing the unexpected between them tension, Ophelia chuckled. "I still crack up from time to time when his robes swoosh around like that."

"You and Cassius might be the only people in the castle that can talk to Snape like that." Draco shook his head, following her lead.

"If you weren't an insufferable git when we were younger, he would like you more," said Ophelia.

Behind them, Blaise added, "She's not wrong."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise, but Blaise only ignored him and turned to talk with Theo.

They filed onto the steps of the castle, each year on its own respective step. Unfortunately for the Slytherins, they were forced to stand next to the Gryffindors.

Ophelia rolled her eyes. It was as if the school was trying to test the limits of Gryffindor and Slytherin animosity. Being the most tolerant of the Slytherins in her year, Ophelia stood beside the only obliging Gryffindor in the fourth year, Hermione Granger. Ophelia believed that Longbottom was the most benevolent of the lot, but the intimidating Draco that was next to Ophelia scared him away. Likewise, Cassius was exactly in the same place as Ophelia, but only two steps above, the perfect view to capture his reaction.

Unfortunately, the anticipation that the Hogwarts students had quickly diminished as the wait prolonged to well over an hour in the cold.

Draco was positively done with overhearing the rambles of the Golden Trio beside them. "If I have to hear Weasley and Potter talk one more time about how Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are going to get here, I'm gonna lose it," Draco whispered into Ophelia's ear.

"Aw and here I thought a new friendship was going to kindle between all of you. The 'Viktor Krum Fan Club'! Or maybe it should just be the 'Krum Fan Club,' KFC for short," Ophelia said softly.

"Again with the Muggle references?" Draco groaned.

"Nice catch, Draco! It's so much fun making them, like a little pop quiz to see if you've been paying attention throughout the years."

To her left, Granger stifled a giggle with a cough.

Dumbledore called from the back row where the teachers stood. "Unless I am mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons is arriving!"

In the distance, a black shape skimmed over the top of the Forbidden Forest, it was rapidly approaching. The light emanating from the castle revealed the shape, a gigantic powder-blue carriage drawn by a dozen, massive winged palomino Abraxans. The carriage and horses finally landed in front of the Hogwarts delegation, albeit in a chaotic way.

The door of the carriage opened, and a boy in pale blue robes trimmed with light fur jumped down and unfolded the golden steps. When he turned to face the Hogwarts students, Ophelia and Draco realized that it was Gabriel Baudelaire.

They weren't the only ones to notice, behind them Cassius, Graham, Miles, and Adrian began chanting 'Gabriel, je t'aime!' over and over.

Gabriel let out a hearty laugh. "Oui, je vous aime tous!"

Severus was about to reprimand them but the attention of everyone present was now on the woman who exited the carriage.

"I forgot how tall she is," Draco said.

Ophelia agreed. She, Draco, and Cassius met the Beauxbatons headmistress at the Quidditch World Cup. Madame Maxime gave them endless thanks for taking care of her students during the Death Eaters attack.

Dumbledore started to clap, and the students followed his lead. Madame Maxime graciously smiled and walked forward to meet Dumbledore, extending her hand to which he kissed.

While they spoke, Ophelia turned around. Behind her were fifth-years Archie Urquhart—a reserved Chaser on the Slytherin team—and his best friend Terence Higgs, the reserve Seeker. "Hey, Archie, Terence!"

Urquhart frowned. "Ophelia, you've got your scheming face on right now."

Draco snorted and Ophelia slapped his arm. "That's beside the point, Urquhart. Can you please scoot over a bit? I need to see Cassius behind you."

"Okay?" said Urquhart, somewhat confused. He and Higgs beside him shuffled to their right.

"Perfect, thank you, boys."

Ophelia took out her camera and focused on Cassius's face through the viewfinder. Regrettably, Ophelia wasn't able to see the increasing attention on her from the Golden Trio, but she could hear their conversation.

"What is that?" Weasley whispered.

"A camera," Potter said.

"Well it looks different from the one that Creevey uses," said Weasley.

"That's because it's a more traditional one. The one she has is a new model, compact and disposable. I saw a commercial about it over the summer," Granger lowered her voice, but even Draco could still hear her. "Besides that, I didn't even know someone like her would even know anything Muggle related."

Ophelia was simultaneously amused and offended. It wasn't Granger's fault that she didn't know her, outside of the classroom Ophelia hardly interacted with them. Although Ophelia had more classes with Granger, Ophelia would consider Potter the only Gryffindor she would perhaps label as an acquaintance. But Ophelia let that thought go, she had other things to worry about.

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime.

A few seconds later, the moment had arrived. It took everything in Ophelia's power not to lose it when Cassius's eyes bulged and mouth dropped, to which her camera shuttered.

"THALIA?" Cassius yelled. Ophelia took another picture and another.

Ophelia turned around to find Thalia, smiling and waving at her. She took one more photo of Thalia, then Ophelia pocketed her camera once again. "I should really become a photographer." She glanced up at Draco. "What do you think?"

He smirked. "And what about becoming a curse-breaker?"

"Merlin, you're right. Maybe I can do both? Like how Dr. Jones was an Archaeology professor and then he was the badass Indiana Jones when he recovered artifacts. Photographer by day, curse-breaker by night. Or vice versa. I'm not quite sure which occupation would be better suited at those respective times."

"I regret even bringing up the topic," Draco said distastefully.

Cassius stepped down to Ophelia and Draco. "You knew about this? Wait, you surely knew. Let me rephrase that, how long did you know?"

"Around Thalia's birthday," said Ophelia.

Cassius gaped. "And you Draco?"

"A week after Thalia's birthday?" he asked Ophelia and she nodded.

"Warrington's," Severus warned.

"Sorry, Professor," Ophelia and Cassius said.

Dumbledore and Madame Maxime finally finished their conversation, and the Beauxbatons delegation was shivering in the cold Highlands night. "Come," said Madame Maxime to her students.

The Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to ascend the stone steps. Leading the students were the Baudelaire twins, Thalia, and a beautiful silvery-blonde girl.

As they passed, Thalia quickly stopped and whispered something to Cassius. He consequently blushed instantly and Ophelia took yet another picture of her love-struck brother.

"You were right, Ophelia. It was worth keeping it a secret," said Thalia. She pecked Cassius on the cheek, then followed the rest of her classmates inside.

"My girlfriend is a witch," said Cassius, dumbfounded.

"Yes," Ophelia replied.

"And you knew this entire time?"

"Yup."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Nope."

Cassius paused. "Wait, so that means you knew about the Triwizard Tournament too?"

"Yes, but Draco told me as well. So even if I never found out about Thalia, I would've known about the tournament."

He looked at Draco. "And you didn't tell me?" Cassius said irritably.

"Sorry?" said Draco, but it sounded more like a question than a statement. Which only irritated Cassius more.

"I- I'm just going to stop so I don't have to be disappointed with what I do and don't know. But next time I better be in on whatever shenanigans or espionage mission the two of you have to get the information that you know." Cassius pointed his finger at both Draco and Ophelia, then returned to his spot amongst the rest of the Slytherin sixth-years.

"Do you think he'll be mad at Thalia?" Draco asked Ophelia.

She shook her head. "Maybe for two minutes. He would move the Earth for her if she wanted him to."

Draco nodded. After all of the stories Ophelia told him about Cassius's summer romance, it was no surprise. Funnily enough, he understood how Cassius felt. Draco would move the Earth, the moon, or stars if Ophelia asked him to.

"I can't believe it!" Ron said, in a stunned voice. The Hogwarts students were filing back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Harry! Viktor Krum!"

"For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," said Hermione.

"Only a Quidditch player?" Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe she would utter those words in front of him. "Hermione—he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!"

Harry muttered to Hermione, "I thought he was Krum's number one fan?"

Hermione and Harry laughed.

"I heard that!" Ron exclaimed.

They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron sat on the side facing the doorway. Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The majority of the students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table.

"Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space—"

"What?"

"Too late," said Ron glumly.

Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. Surprising nearly everyone in the Great Hall, Krum greeted Ophelia Warrington with a firm handshake and a jovial tone.

"How the—" said Ron mouth agape.

Hermione snorted. "Wait until you look a bit longer."

Harry and Ron observed the lively Slytherin table. The four students that led the Beauxbatons delegation were sitting at the Slytherin table as well, congregating around Warrington, her brother, and their friends.

"You don't suppose they all know each other?" Ron questioned.

Harry suddenly remembered why two of the Beauxbatons students looked familiar. "Those two brown-haired Beauxbatons students sitting next to each other? Didn't we see Malfoy and Warrington talking to them at the Quidditch World Cup?"

Hermione gasped. "I think you're right Harry."

When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and—most particularly—guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.

"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

The plates in front of them were filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign.

"What's that?" said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding.

"Bouillabaisse," said Hermione.

"Bless you," said Ron.

"It's French," said Hermione, "I had it on holiday a few summers ago. It's very nice."

"I'll take your word for it," said Ron, helping himself to black pudding.

The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were only two dozen additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently colored uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of Hogwarts' robes.

At that moment, a voice said, "Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"

It was the girl from Beauxbatons with silvery-blonde hair that fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth. Beside her was Cassius Warrington's girlfriend. She had bright blue eyes that contrasted her dark hair and olive skin.

Ron went purple. He stared up at the blonde, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.

"Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish toward the girl.

"You 'ave finished wiz it?" she said.

"Yeah," Ron said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."

The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Slytherin table. The dark-haired girl said something in French to the blonde, and the two girls giggled as they walked away. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.

"She's a Veela!" he said hoarsely to Harry.

"Of course, she isn't!" said Hermione tartly. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"

But she wasn't entirely right about that. As she and her friend crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron.

"I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!" said Ron, leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her. "They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!"

"They make some of them like that," said Harry without thinking. The two girls sat beside Warrington, and she was easily just as beautiful.

At least she was to Harry.

"Well that's very considerate of you Harry," said Hermione.

When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar desserts too. Ron examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inches to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Slytherin table. The girl who looked like a Veela appeared to have eaten enough and never came back.

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension filled the Hall now. Ophelia had an enjoyable dinner speaking with the new additions to the Slytherins. Compared to when she conversed with Viktor at the World Cup, he spoke broken English with a heavy Bulgarian accent.

A strategy tactic, Ophelia thought.

Thalia also introduced Ophelia to her best friend, Fleur Delacour, the mysterious silvery-blonde that caught the attention of nearly all the boys in the Great Hall. Ophelia was reminded of the reaction the Weasley's and Potter had to the Veela at the World Cup, and how Fleur elicited the same response to a lesser extent. But Ophelia didn't want to assume something so nefarious of a person she just met, and only knew through another person.

"The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket—"

"That's morbid," Ophelia quipped.

Across from her, Draco kicked Ophelia in the shin. To which Ophelia kicked him back, a cheeky smile on her face. In their own world for a bit, the two were oblivious to the knowing glances from their friends, both new and old. Thalia gave Cassius a pointed look; he only smirked and nodded his head.

Dumbledore continued, "—and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts."

At the mention of the word champions, Ophelia was once again focused on Dumbledore's words. She noticed that both the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons delegations were more enthralled than their Hogwarts counterparts. Reasonably so, since the other schools were more prepared, and the students present were specifically chosen from their schools to come to Hogwarts to compete.

Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed the sudden stillness of the Hall, for he smiled as he said, "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great, ancient wooden chest encrusted with jewels.

"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways: their magical prowess, daring, powers of deduction, and ability to cope with danger."

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing. As much as Ophelia was entertained with the idea of Cassius participating, she would be lying to herself if she wasn't worried about what dangers could lie ahead for him if he was chosen.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. He closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete."

Although Dumbledore continued to speak, Ophelia was fixated on what he had previously said. She and Cassius locked eyes, the same thought running through both of their heads: sneak out of the dorms in the middle of the night.

A/N: Hi, I'm back! I am so sorry I missed updating last week! I was on vacation last week and I didn't have a laptop to upload a chapter. Hopefully, this was a satisfying chapter worth the wait.

Also! I'd like to preface that the next coming months will, unfortunately, have sporadic updates. I'll try to stick to one chapter a week but it will depend on how busy I am with school back in session. If anyone is curious, I'm going to be a senior in uni and I have grad school applications to complete (very scary T.T). After the application period ends I'll probably be back to weekly updates!

Anyway, enough about my boring life, I love writing this fic and I hope y'all stick around :)

Next week! Cassius and Ophelia hijinx, a Draco x Ophelia memory, a Hufflepuff(?), and the goblet of fire

Contains content from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

- Chapter 15: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang

- Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire