There was a blank space in Elowen's timeline, and she hadn't even realized it. It wasn't until Harry reminded her before a Transfiguration class one day about what had happened the other day in the school's corridor.
That when she knew there was something very wrong.
Apparently, the last person she had been seen with was Professor Snape. And, so she decided to ask the professor himself about her absence of memory. He simply said she had successfully made it to his office for a lesson and left. He guessed she had probably crossed or upset a Seventh-Year or so who had done this to her, which given her reputation as a troublemaker wouldn't be too surprising.

However, that had been days ago.

Presently Elowen was sitting in the Quidditch pitch stands cheering for Tracey who was training her Quidditch skills with Madame Hooch and some other enthusiastic players.
Random students were scattered amongst the stands sporadically and she couldn't help but notice a particularly excited Hufflepuff girl that was taking photographs of the training at the very front. She was almost acting as if she was at the Quidditch World Cup and not some random practice. Somewhere in the audience sat that ghost that Nel had met last year.
What was it that Malfoy had called him? Sulking Simon?

She couldn't help but stare at the transparent ghost. He wasn't like the other ones in the castle who seemed to have lived hundreds of years ago.
He was modern even more than Moaning Myrtle.
He wore a Hogwarts uniform too however; she couldn't tell what color his robes had once been. She didn't think he'd notice her blatant starring and became startled when he actually turned to shoot a nasty look in her direction.

"I know you're wondering," he spoke. If alive he would've probably been around the same age. She looked away hoping he wouldn't approach her and continue the conversation, but he did.
"Everybody wonders." He added taking a seat next to her.

She tried not to converse with the ghostly boy and focused on keeping her head forward and eyes focused on Tracey who was performing some very elaborate flying loops at the moment.

"All I know is that I was killed," he sighed miserably, sinking into the bleachers, half of his translucent body vanishing.

She didn't want to interact with him, but her morbid curiosity got the best of her. "By a flying bludger?" She guessed.

"No," He spat at her with narrowed eyes. An angry expression crossing his features. "Dying is strange-" He said once again levitating to her side, his voice sounding calmer. "I don't remember how it happened, when or what it felt like, but I remember my friends were there."

"Your friends?" She questioned.

"I was tricked. Dared to come down here at midnight." He explained with bitter resentfulness.

"What?" She asked intrigued turning her legs in the direction of the ghost.

"Sorry we're late!" Distracted she turned back to see Theodore and Daphne who were reaching her side. Again, turning she saw that the ghost had vanished. Great. Just when the story was getting good.

"Hey!" She greeted standing up and gathering her bag. "Glad you guys could make it, I think they're almost done," She said standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Where are you going?" Daphne asked as she took a seat next to Theodore.

"Detention before dinner. Remember Defense Against the Dark Arts?" She said to the two, who sighed remembering the disturbing episode of the

first day of DaDa class.

So far they have had a werewolf, an idiot, and Voldemort himself as a professor. How bad could Professor Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody be?

"Alastor Moody," The former Auror wrote his name on the board with chalk, dotting the 'y' harshly before turning to glare at his students. His mechanic mad blue eye darting and twitching as it focused on their bored faces.

"Ministry malcontent. And your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"

There wasn't a single hand raised up. Even Hermione kept her hand down and observed with kooky professor with apprehension.

"When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"

Alright, maybe Mad-Eye was more competent than some of their former professors. By now Lockhart would've made the class take a quiz on what his favorite color was and Quirrel would've barely finished stuttering out his name.

Hermione raised a hand to the air, eager to participate. After a moment passed and he didn't call on her she decided to answer, "Three, sir."

"And they are so named?" He asked without missing a beat.

"Because they are unforgivable," Hermione answered on cue "Use of them will..." Moody then interrupted before beginning to scribble madly on the board.

"Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different!
You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr. Finnigan!"
How on Earth had he seen that with his back to the class? !

"Aw no way, the old codger can see out the back of his head," The Gryffindor spoke what everybody in the room seemed to be thinking.

Mad with sudden anger the professor threw the chalk he was holding all the way across the room in Seamus Finnigan's direction. The boy barely managed to dodge it.

"So, which curse shall we see first?" His head turned around the classroom for a second. "Weasley!" He exclaimed.

Ron's face turned white, "Yes..." He squeaked comically.

Mad-Eye Moody proceed to describe and actually practice the Three Unforgivable classes before the class. First was the Imperius one. A curse that made Elowen visibly stiffen enough for Tracey to nudge her side and ask her if she was okay. Even Harry noticed this from across the room. A large spider was thrown across the room levitated over an unsettled class.

"Don't worry, completely harmless," he said dangling it on top of Ron's red hair. It almost looked as if he was going to pass out.
"But if she bites... She's lethal!" He cackled as he dropped the spider. Rom grimaced in horror.

Across the classroom several Slytherins laughed loudly.

"What are you laughing at?"

Moody then tossed the spider across the room for it to land on Draco's face. Which was cue to the Gryffindors to laugh just as loudly as he let out a high-pitched scream that even made some of the Slytherins bring cover mouths to hush their laughs. He turned pink from the embarrassment after slapping the spider away from his face.

Moody proceeded to showcase the second spell. The Cruciatus curse. This time particularly picking on a tall Gryffindor boy. Nel didn't remember ever speaking to him, but she did remember stealing his toad in the Hogwarts express during their first year. The Professor proceeded to torture the spider with magic. The arachnid wriggled and squeaked loudly with pain. Its limbs crumbling up and bending in unnatural ways as he did so.

Longbottom stood seeming as if he himself was the one being tortured. A look of twisted pain crossed his features as his eyes blankly starred at the spider. Nobody said anything. Students held their breaths.

Disturbed, Nel didn't realize she was leaning over her desk to take a look closer at the spider with morbid fascination.

"Stop it!" Granger interrupted. "Can't you see it's brothering him? Stop it!" She shrieked as she looked back at the disturbed boy.

The professor ceased his torture and saw the pained expression on the student's pale face. The spider which was still crying out and squeaking was placed in the desk before Hermione who looked at it horrified.

"Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse Miss Granger?"

Equally disturbed. Hermione shook her head weakly, biting back painful tears in empathy for the spider. Other marveled in disbelief at the fact that Know-It-All Granger had grown quiet from the distressing experience.

"The Killing Curse," A soft voice which sounded loud in the deafening silence in the room turned all heads to the Slytherin side of the room. Tracey looked at her desk mate with some concern in her surprised eyes.

"Ah," Moody again lifted up the spider and instead placed it in front of her desk. "The Lestrange girl, are you?"

"It's Saintday," She corrected. "The one and only," Nel added in what would've been usually been a playful tone but this time came out a serious.

"Interested in the Dark Arts?" He leaned in close. His twitching large blue eye starring down, almost as if memorizing every inch of her face. Despite the uneasy closeness the girl remained composed and silence was her answer. Moody brought a flask to his lips and took a long sip before trembling and turning his attention back to her. Bet whatever is in there isn't pumpkin juice, that's for sure.

"Professor Flitwick says you're quite adept at Charms," he licked his lips, or his tongue stuck out she wasn't sure which was which uncontrolled gesture he had done. "As does Professor Babbling." The Professor of Study of Ancient Runes. An elective which most students dreaded but the Slytherin actually found to be interesting despite the thick textbooks she had to read.

"I'm interested in spell works and the origins of them," She finally answered with her hands knitted together resting on the desk.

"Very well then," Mad-Eye gave a step back. "If you could demonstrate the third and final Unforgivable Curse?"

Murmuring scattered around the room at what the Professor was suggesting. Was that ethical? Let alone legal? Eager eyes watched in morbid fascination, some betting hostile Saintday wouldn't hesitate in killing the spider.

Nel looked down at the spider which miserably twitched before her on the desk. If anything, it would be a mercy kill.

"No," She refused sternly.

She was sure that this was probably illegal. Moody did not seem pleased. His eye rolled around wildly and his bulldog like jaw clenched tightly.

"For the sake of teaching I will now demonstrate how the Imperius curse works on a human. Thank you for volunteering Ms. Saitnday."

Hermione was about to cry out how illegal that was before with a flick of his wand her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth rendering her silent.

He pointed his wand back to the girl sitting before him and in horror the class saw as through a strained breath, with shaking shoulders she was brought to her feet. Anger blazing in her eyes. The feeling of not being in control more than familiar and frustrating. It was just like back under Cloelia's roof.

Not being in ownership of your own body. She couldn't think of anything more dehumanizing.

She resisted. Teeth grinding. Jaw clenching tightly.

'Do it,' she could hear Moody's hypnotizing words echoing inside of her head. 'You know the words,' he continued. 'You will enjoy it...'.
She wanted to do it. Her body was moving to do it. It would be fast, it would be a mercy kill, it was for the greater good.

Her arm trembled as her hand was raised wand being pointed at the pitiful spider.

Resist. Fight it. Control yourself.

That wasn't her voice. It was Snape's. His voice was echoing the chambers of her mind. It had become ingrained after sessions with him.
There it was again, that mental image of a metal safe slamming shut, the dial spinning wildly before clicking and shutting Professor Moody out.

"Attack!" She shouted in a foreign tongue as a snake erupted from the tip of her wand and launched directly at the professor's face.

Somebody in the back shouted, "You attacked a professor!"

Some students loudly shrieked at the large snake in the room. Moody actually grabbed it with a hand and threw the hissing snake out of the classroom's window in one swinging motion. Further disturbing the class.

"Avedra Kedravra!" Moody said and for a moment Nel thought he was pointing at her but instead the suffering spider that was in her desk let out one final squeak before turning over dead in a flash of a bright green light.

"The killing curse. Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this room," he shifted his and the class's focus to Harry. Without another word Nel packed up her books and walked out of the classroom fuming ignoring the looks she was getting, or Tracey's concerned "Are you okay?"

After that episode Mad-Eye had been reprimanded with a slap to the wrist. He explained he was applying old teaching methods and that he would soon use the Imperious curse on the entire class so they could learn how to resist it.

On the other hand, Nel had to serve detention with a teacher of McGonagall's choice. Seeing as Sprout needed the help she was assigned to her.

"I have to catch some rats that are eating Sprout's shrivelfigs," She explained with a lazy shrug. Let's be real, there could be worse punishments.

Daphne winkled her nose in disgust. Theo shook his head running a nervous hand through his hair at the memory of the first DaDa class.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked sincerely with concern.

She ignored his question and flashed him a playful smile which disguised her true disturbed emotions. "It'll be fun," she said jokingly before heading to the greenhouse. Daphne wasn't sure if she meant it or not.

Inside of the greenhouse Nel tossed her bag to the side and pulled her wand out ready to catch some rats. Afterall, Sprout never said anything about not being to use magic. Hearing a rustling noise, she turned ready to attack only to point at that tall Gryffindor boy Moody had been awful to the other day in class. He let out a yelp before stumbling back and dropping a large pot making it crack and spilling black soil everywhere.

Longbottom was it? All Elowen knew about him was that he wasn't said to be very bright, he was also terribly clumsy and forgetful. Be it anybody else she would've offered to help but she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Sorry," She apologized sincerely when she realized he was looking up at her with what she couldn't interpret to be fear or disdain. She pointed her wand at him, and he flinched bracing himself for the attack but instead the pot stuck itself together with Reparo looking brand new and was lowered to a side. Turning to the Gryffindor who was still sitting on the ground she pointed at him "Scourgify," she charmed ridding his uniform of all dirt and other stains.

She was expecting a 'Thanks' but instead he shot her a dark look before walking past her. She couldn't remember ever doing something personal to him (besides stealing his toad and putting him in a teapot).

"Are you here for detention too?" She asked a little taken aback at his coldness.

"No," He spoke after a moment as he lifted up what looked like a heavy sack of soil and walked over to where the pot was before he began to fill it. His tone made it seem as if he wanted the conversation to be over.

"So, you're here for fun?" She asked slightly wrinkling her nose in surprise. He tossed the sack and turned to glare at her. Easily staggering a head maybe even taller than her. Regardless of his meanness she didn't feel intimidated by him. Let's be real, Longbottom was like a harmless goldfish compared to the pirañas that she lived with.

"Did... Did I do something to you?" She asked uneasily. "I'm sorry about your head, he was left unharmed. I promise." She couldn't help but laugh a little there in the end.

"You know what your family did," he spat darkly in her direction. "My family?" She looked at him perplexed. "Longbottom, is it?" She said tailing after him as he crossed the greenhouse to reach for a small tree seedling he was transferring to the larger pot. "Er- I'm an orphan," She cleared her throat stating the well-known fact. "As far as I know, I don't have a family."

"You're a Lestrange aren't you?" He suddenly turned making her almost bump into her. "I live with them," She admitted. "They have guardianship over me, but that is all. No name claims or blood relation," She narrowed her eyes in confusion at his strong distaste. He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes hard, before he pinched the bridge of his nose. He muttered something to himself before letting out what sounded like an exhausting sigh and wiping tears that were beginning to prick his eyes. "I-I'm sorry," He apologized after a moment and shook his head.

"You're Elowen Saintday," He acknowledged. He had known her since their First Year at Hogwarts and despite being knowing for hexing and playing mean tricks on others, she had never tried to pull a fast one on him before.

She nodded and still looked at him oddly. Neville had to remind himself she wasn't one of them. She wasn't Bellatrix, or Rodolphus or Rabastan Lestrange. It was hard enough knowing that one of their children was on the school premises.

"And you are?" She stepped next to him, hands at her sides, wand still on her hand.

"Nobody," He brooded.

"Nobody's really nobody," The girl couldn't help but shrug being more than familiar with the ugly feeling of feeling worthless. Longbottom looked at her for a moment and again shook his head before lifting up another large pot and letting out a loud scream when he found a coiled snake hiding behind it. He held on to the pot tightly and cowered behind the Slytherin. For a Gryffindor he didn't seem very brave to Nel.

"Ugh, what an ugly snake," Nel winced when she saw the brown snake with a black diamond zigzag pattern and bulging orange red eyes.

"Ugh, what an ugly girl," The snake shot back reminding her that the reptile could understand her. It wasn't any common snake, it was an adder, or the only venomous snake native to the British Isles. Judging by the bulge in its stomach it was safe to assume the rat problem had been taken care of.

"Wait-" She said looking at the snake carefully. "You," She realized. "You were in our Defense Against the Dark Arts class," She knelt down to look at it at eye level. Longbottom looked distraught at the sight of the girl so casually conversing with the viper.

"You summoned me!" The adder stretched its neck and hissed at her upset.

"What's it doing?" Longbottom piped when he witnessed the aggressive gesture.

"Right," She admitted, ignoring the disturbed Gryffindor. She had never tried that spell before and wasn't expecting it to work, she wasn't sure how it even worked. Did it just summon a snake, any snake from any part of the world?

"Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting the Professor to throw you out of the tower's window." "You try being tossed out of a window and living to tell the tale. I don't even know where my home is anymore. One moment I'm eating some eggs perfectly content at home the next I'm being tossed at a lunatic's face," it nagged as it slithered to the ground and began calmly slithering away from the two students.

It was then when a lightbulb went off in Nel's head as she approached the snake and actually picked it up.

"Unhand me child!" The adder demanded hissing at her, flashing two large threatening fangs. "Why don't you stay here?" She offered. "You can eat all the vermin you want, it's always warm and nobody really comes in here. Except for Professor Sprout, people in detention and well him," she gestured towards Longbottom. "I can smell the fear in him," The adder made a noise which sounded like a chuckle while turning to look at Longbottom.

"Be nice," Nel whispered still holding the large snake in her hands, it slowly began to coil around her arm seeking the warmth of her body.
"I'll make it up to you?" She offered negotiating with the animal. The adder made a biting motion to her arm but stopped when it realized she didn't flinch out of fear. This human, considering she could even communicate with it. She wasn't ordinary.

"Call me Nathair," The adder introduced before slithering down her body "Pleasure, Elowen Ssssaintday. I'll be around..." With that the adder vanished into many of the growing vines of the greenhouse.

She had almost forgotten that Longbottom was standing there looking perturbed at what he had just witnessed.

"Well, that takes care of the rats," She flashed him a pleased smile while clapping her hands as if dusting them off. "Want to head back to the Great Hall? They are picking the champions for the Triwizard Tournament tonight."

The two decided to head back to the Great Hall and along the way Nel learned that he boy's name was actually Neville and that he was actually good friends Harry, Ron and Hermione. Herbology was his passion too, that's why he usually hid away in the greenhouse and tended to Madame Pomfrey's plants.

Back in the Great Hall the tables were still half empty since it was early for dinner. Nel bid a hurried goodbye to Neville when she spotted Ellar sitting alone at the end of the Ravenclaw table. He appeared to be lost in thought eyes skimming over a small book mindlessly.

Running her fingers through her lose hair and adjusting her headband she fixed her uniform before approaching him.

"Salut!" She greeted unannounced taking a seat across from him in terrible French. It was best not to ask if she could sit and set herself up for rejection.

"I've been practicing my French see?" She chirped happily. "Soon I'll be trilingual, if you count Parseltongue," she made an attempt at a poor joke.

Ellar cracked a small smile and put his book away. Regardless he didn't say anything. He simply looked at her with a lazy smile he was known for wearing.

"So," She began racking her brain for conversation topics. "Did you place your name in the Chalice?" She asked propping her head on her propped elbow and leaning forward with interest.

His lips contorted and he gave her a look. "Why would I ever do that?" He said arching an eyebrow. "Eternal glory is for fools," He scoffed looking down at the glowing chalice that stood tall on a podium in the middle of the Great Hall. She frowned a little at his reaction.
She would've put her name in. Maybe not necessarily for eternal glory, but...

"It's strange," To her surprise he shifted the topic of conversation. "Being back here at Hogwarts."

Her ears perked at this. She had never mustered enough courage to ask him about his past at Hogwarts. According to what Malfoy had said he had been expelled and Greengrass had simply said he wasn't good company to keep around.

"What do you mean?" She asked in her best lying voice, fully well knowing he had once been a student here.

"I used to be a student here," He smiled at her charmingly. "Didn't you know that?" He narrowed his eyes in what her guilty conscience interpreted as suspicion.

She did.

"No," She lied again with a slight smile tucking a strand of lose hair behind her ear. She was using the same voice she would use on Cordelia Wool when asked if she knew who had been responsible for swiping all the sweets from the kitchen, or who had broken the mirrors in the girl's bathroom.

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes," He admitted. "I was actually in Slytherin, same as you, same as my whole family. We would've been house mates."

Here it was. The moment she had been waiting for. It was the perfect moment to ask. "Why did you transfer to Beauxbaton?" She asked lightly tilting her head to the side hoping to appear more charming.

Part of her wondered what the real story was. Maybe Malfoy had once again been lying to her, just to throw her off for the sake of his own amusement. Another part of her wanted him to lie, wanted to see what elaborate lie he could cook up to eschew her from the truth but was surprised when he admitted to his errors. "I was expelled actually."

She looked at him a little stunned at the revelation and with a look implored him to elaborate. Ellar again flashed her a coy smile before running a hand through his messy curly hair.

"I used to be the Slytherins Seeker and there was an accident," He shook his head apathetically. "Nothing conclusive, but you know how it is. It's not like our House has... the best reputation. You know?" He clicked his tongue. "They were looking for an scapegoat and well, there I was," he raised up his hands and shrugged innocently.

The story made the Slytherin feel angry. It sounded exactly like something Dumbledore would do. He would most definitely pin whatever had happened on her House just as long as he didn't have to deal with it. As long as his precious Gryffindor remained pristine and untouched. Glaring at the old man from across the GreatHall she shook her head in disapproval.

"What?" Ellar laughed a little at her upset reaction. "Don't be upset, it can't be undone," He reached over and patted one of her fisted hands. She could've melted in the spot. More students suddenly filled the room and the Lestrange boy stood. "See you around, Elowen," he shot a teasing wink in her direction before leaving the blushing girl alone.

Nel was in a dreamy haze. She was so stupefied by the interaction with her crush that she didn't even realize Tracey wasn't at the Slytherin dining table. She didn't hear even hear Pansy Parkinson make a snide comment at her appearance. Barely even had a reaction when the Champions were selected actually snapping out of it shaking her head and clapping when Viktor Krum was selected as the Durmstrang champion. His school cheered loudly and began banging their fists on the Slytherin table.

"Don't tell me you're acting like a First-Year schoolgirl just because that French prick held your hand?"

It was almost like a fly. A most annoying buzzing at her side that she hadn't realized was there until it got too close. How in the world did he even know?

She hadn't realized Malfoy was sitting next to her. Clapping politely, shooting him a side-look she jabbed her elbow in his direction making him wince lightly at the aggressive contact.

"For your information he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," She rolled her eyes at him explaining Ellar's expulsion from Hogwarts. "Something went wrong and Dumbledore wanted somebody to blame and no surprise he chose the Slytherin," She shook her head slightly still angry at what the Headmaster had done.

"You actually believe that load of bull he just spoon fed you?" Draco chortled.

"The Champion from Beauxbaton... Fleur Delacour," Dumbledore announced. The Beauxbaton students cheered loudly, as did the Ravenclaw table since they were their guests, and a beautiful blonde girl stood up and practically danced her way to the stage.

"Why- would he lie – to me?" She hissed out lowly, still lightly clapping her hands without much enthusiasm. "Question is, why wouldn't he?"
She raised her eyebrows awaiting to hear his brilliant reasoning, "He's a slimy git, he doesn't need a reason to tell the truth."

"Or to lie," She shot back with a glare before again turning her attention to the Headmaster. Whatever. Same as always Malfoy just wanted to get under her skin.

Finally, it was time for the Hogwarts champion. Dumbledore caught the last paper to erupt from the chalice. "Cedric Diggory."

Pretty Boy Diggory! The Great Hall went wild. With students roaring and cheering as the handsome boy proudly took to the stage with the other two champions. Many of the girls in the table were giggling. Of course, leave it to the perfect boy to be selected. If Nel's money was on anyone it would've been on Cedric.

"Excellent! We now have our three champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this Vessel of Victory the Triwizard cup!"

'Only one will receive the prize of 1,000 Galleons.' The girl thought ambitiously, somewhat bitter she didn't have an equal shot at getting the money. It was almost 5,000 British Pounds!

People were cheeringly wildly thrusting their fists up in the air animatedly when the Goblet suddenly turned a bright shade of red and without a warning another name was spat out. Dumbledore took it an read it.

"Harry Potter. Harry Potter?"

"Say," later at night. Nel realized that Tracey was gone and wondered to herself out loud. "Did anybody see where Tracey went?" She asked the other Slytherin girls in the dormitory. Most of them already being in their pajamas.

Millicent shrugged while petting her cat. Pansy didn't even bother in answering. "Last time I saw her was at the Quidditch pitch," Daphne spoke turning over her shoulder from her vanity as she applied some night creams on her face in order to prevent wrinkles. Get real. They still weren't even pass their acne phase.

"I'm going to look for her," Nel said slipping on her black school shoes and pulling her emerald robe over her shoulders. Nobody had even realized that Tracey was gone. Specially after the commotion of Harry Potter having been chosen as the Triwizard tournament's fourth champion.

"What?" Pansy finally called looking up from a TeenWitch! magazine she had been reading which featured somebody named Sabrina.
"I won't let you!" She said sitting up. "Every year you cost us the House Cup!"

Without turning back flickering her wand over her shoulder Nel casted a Horn tongue hex at her. Judging from Pansy's muffled voice, she smirked to herself satisfied it had worked as she exited the room.

Walking around the corridors holding a Lumos charm. Nel wondered for quite some time but found no sign or trace of her best friend.
Which was... odd. Tracey wasn't the type to vanish like that and certainly not alone and without warning. She gave up after some time and reasoned she had probably already returned to the Slytherin Common Room or something amongst those lines. Maybe she had been stuck polishing her broom all afternoon and lost track of time? Or maybe she was actually in the library studying for midterms? Who knew?

Nel was presently rounding around the Grand Staircase crossing to the West Lower Floor, slightly distracted by all the floating Jack-O-Lanters and strings that decorated the ceilings and pumpkins on the floor that she had a late reaction to a nasty scene in the corridor.

Three Gryffindor Seventh Years were picking on two First-Year Hufflepuffs. It hardly seemed fair. The Three Gryffindors were levitating them upside down and tossing and lowering them up in the air violently in nauseating spins. It would be a miracle if they didn't throw up.

"Oi!" Elowen had to intervene. "Hardly seems fair, doesn't it?" She asked stepping towards the scene with her hands buried in her pockets. Regardless of her presence they didn't stop.

"If it isn't Lonelily Nell," One shot a sneer into her direction. "Come on, Snell, we're just having a good time," another laughed as the bullying continued.

She looked at the young Hufflepuffs which were red-faced and crying uncontrollably with a bored expression on her features.
"Doesn't look like it," She sucked the inside of her cheek.

"Let them go," She ordered the Gryffindors in a flat tone.

"Yeah? Or what?" The third Gryffindor said also turning to acknowledge her allowing the Hufflepuffs to slap on the stone ground harshly.

"It won't be pleasant," She warned. "It's all so unnecessary isn't it?" She sighed exhausted by the bullying culture at Hogwarts.

One turned to her and blasted a hex in her direction. She deflected it expertly and shot back with "Alarte Ascendare!"

She casted and the three were levitated in the direction of her wand up against the ceiling roughly, the impact so hard a cloud of dust coated their bodies before slamming down to the ground. Back up again, and then down, slamming both into the ceiling and ground, almost like some twisted yoyo.

The Hufflepuffs watched in awe. Without much care she tossed them to the side where they rolled in the ground before crashing into one of the corridor's walls.

Another weakly raised a hand ready to defend himself when she beat him to it.

"Expulso!" She carefully casted a fireball in their direction which made them scatter for their lives and up in the direction of the Grand Staircase. "Glisseo," She casted with a vile smile as the stairs suddenly turned into a polished ramp and the three fell on their faces pitifully sliding down as she casted more fireballs in their direction. It took them a painful while to scamper away while shooting verbal curses and ill insults in her direction.

She laughed triumphantly before turning to look at the First Years with a scary smile. They looked at her terrified with large swollen eyes as she approached them.

Stretching out her hand she waved her fingers requesting a payment for services. After all, this type of elaborate hexing did not come for free. One stuck a hand inside of his pocket and pulled out a butterbeer lollipop and a dust bunny. Not her favorite but it would do. (Especially considering she was banned from the Three Broomsticks.) She stuck it in her mouth and savored it.

"My services don't come cheap kids. I'll be in the library if you need me. Next time don't forget your money," she said with ease as the two eleven-year olds scurried away fearfully and a little grateful.

Pleased with her work, satisfied with her payment she was about to return to the dormitory when a voice made her stop cold in her tracks.

"I'd heard you were good at charms, but I can see that was an understatement," Jumbled up by the unfamiliar voice she turned in shock to see Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff Prefect and now Hogwarts Champion standing by the exit that lead to the Courtyard.

Shit. She bit down on the round lollipop making a loud cracking sound.

"You're Elowen Saintday, aren't you?" He approached her cooly, his walk tall and confident as he did without reeking of arrogance. Nel could've choked on her candy. "I think we've met before, but people call you- what is it... Nel?" He guessed correctly.

"My friends call me Nel," She eyed him oddly waiting for him to take away points from Slytherin House or send her straight to Snape for some well-deserved detention. "Aren't you going to take away points?"
How long had he been standing there for? How much had he witnessed?

"Nah," He said shaking his head with an easy smile. "I don't like bullies either. Besides, how could I? You were defending my house."

She eyed him suspiciously.

Why... on Earth...

Was Cedric Diggory...

Talking to her?

Out of all people...

She felt younger, more naïve, actually dumb, maybe even insecure standing next to such an accomplished student. It was rumored that Diggory was truly a golden child, top of his class, gifted Quidditch player, he was incredibly nice, and of course dashingly handsome.

"Is it true you do favors for people?" He asked smiling at her. That smile that he knew would make anyone do anything for him.

"You know it's true," She says and began to walk away from him. He followed. Afterall the Hufflepuff Common Room is in the same direction as the Slytherin one. She didn't even congratulate him for being selected a Champion for the tournament.

"Think you could do a favor for me?" He asks making her stop in her tracks.

"My favors don't come cheap Diggory."

"I might need your help," he stopped walking as the two descended into the dungeons. "I know you know things. That you're well connected with the castle and well everything that happens in it. I need you to help me figure out what the Three Task of the Triwizard tournament will be," He admitted.

What in the world? A mischievous smirk stretched across her lips.

"Isn't that cheating?" She tapped her chin more in mocking than actual thought.

"It isn't as long as a teacher doesn't help us," he explained.

"Alright," She nodded agreeing to his initial terms. However, she had to set her conditions. "If I help you figure the tasks and you win... Then you'll give me fifty percent of the prize award."

"What?" He laughed at her incredulous suggestion.

"What? A girl has got to eat," She frowned slightly at him. There's no such thing as a free meal. He had to remember he was dealing with a Slytherin, not with somebody more kindhearted from his own House.

"Five percent," He negotiated.

"No way." Shaking her head, she began to walk away, "Thirty?"

"Ten."

"Twenty-five. Take it or leave it." Was her final offer.

Cedric was quiet for a moment, crunching some numbers in his head. "Fine, you've got yourself a deal," he agreed, and they shook on it.

"This stays between us. Understood?" She warned while shaking his head.

"I'm going to be Ministry of Magic one day. This has to stay between us," He said shooting a sly wink in her direction.

"I'll ask around, see what I can find out," Nel said ominously before turning away without bidding the Hufflepuff goodbye.

Just like that she had made 250 extra galleons this year; All she had to do to get them was poke around and see what she could find out anything and everything that she could about the Triwizard Tournament. How hard could that be?

Turning around to enter the Common Room she ran into Tracey who was sneaking back to the dormitories.

"Trace!" She called her name. Stunned the girl paralyzed having been caught on sight. "There you are," She grabbed her hand. "I was worried sick," She said as they entered the Common Room.

"Did you stay up counting all the whisks in your broom again?" Elowen asked shaking her head slightly with a worried expression.

"Um.. Yeah," Tracey lied avoiding her friend's gaze.