I'm gonna be busy this weekend and don't know if I'll have time to post this, so you're getting it early. This one's kinda short but I believe the next one is longer as it tells the story of what happened in the graveyard. Last one before Christmas. Happy holidays to all my readers.

Triwizard Lecture One

June 23rd, 1995
Sixth Year
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Aloiki Akina was furious.

He alternately stood and sat and paced up and down in Dumbledore's office, fuming. He hadn't liked the idea of having a dangerous tournament hosted at his daughter's school from the very beginning but his letter to the Ministry had gone unnoticed and the 'game' had been played anyway. The Ministry had imposed a new rule declaring all students must be seventeen to compete, this had ruled out Leilani as a competitor, much to Aloiki's relief at the time.

Now his youngest daughter and her best friend—practically another daughter by this point—were lying unconscious in the Hospital Wing. Twenty minutes before his arrival at the school, Head of Hufflepuff House Pomona Sprout had Floo Powdered unexpectedly into his living room. She came bearing the worst news of his life; his daughter had been injured in the very Tournament he hated.

The Triwizard Tournament was dangerous and irresponsible, why would a school, a school for Isolt's sake, host a series of games where the probability of injury was so high? In the middle of Aloiki's furious pacing, the office door opened and in walked Dumbledore.

"Hello, Aloiki."

Having been born in Hawaii, Aloiki had attended Ilvermony instead of Hogwarts, but Dumbledore made it a point to know the names, at least, of his students' parents, especially when those students were injured.

"Your daughter is fine, no permanent injuries. She broke a few ribs, but mostly is suffering from shock. Madame Pomfrey is patching her up now. Now, I understand you have something you'd like to say to me?"

Oh, did he ever!

"Headmaster, how could you allow your school to be a part of this? First a Basilisk, then Dementors and now a contest that could have killed someone? What on Earth made you think this was a good idea?! I almost didn't let her come this year! If I hadn't thought she would run away to get here, I would have kept her at home! And I know—I know Jocelyn's mom would have kept Jocelyn home if Leilani wasn't going! Your job is to teach kids! Not purposely put them in life-threatening situations! Yes, prepare them for life beyond school, but life beyond school rarely includes dragons!" He paced as he spoke, breathing only when absolutely necessary. "This was reckless, Headmaster, absolutely and unnecessarily reckless. Someone could have died! These kids look up to you; it is your job to keep them safe. It is your job to teach them—not endanger them!"

Dumbledore raised a hand when Aloiki next stopped to breathe, "I did not think the tournament was a good idea, but I did sign the agreement to host it here and I take full responsibility for that. You should know that I suspect your daughter tried to prevent a death in acting when she and Miss Montgomery did."

Aloiki's head shot towards Dumbledore at the word death. The color drained from his face and he stopped cold. "Who died?" he croaked. The tournament had killed someone. "How?"

"Cedric Diggory. Both your daughter and Miss Montgomery knew him; he was Hufflepuff's Quidditch Captain. I do not know exactly what has happened but as soon as your daughter and Miss Montgomery recover from their injuries, I will find out. Now, if you'd like to see your daughter, you can follow me to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore explained calmly.

Aloiki deflated a bit, his anger was fueled by worry, and knowing that his daughter was safe and alive did some to alleviate that—he was still pissed, but slightly less so. He followed Dumbledore to the Hospital Wing where he took his youngest's hand, the only part of her that did not appear bruised or scratched, and held it, just held it.

"She'll be fine, I've relieved the pain and have set the break in her ribs. She fell on something very hard and very unforgiving. The bruises will have to heal naturally, she'll be sore for quite some time, but she'll be fine," Madame Pomfrey said, her hand patting his shoulder. She'd shuffled Marcus and Fred out of the room a few minutes earlier, insisting they sleep in their own beds, though she suspected they'd be back.

"And Jo? How is she?" Aloiki asked. Jocelyn may not have been his daughter but he was honor-bound to let her own mother know of any injuries attained in the defense of innocent life.

"Miss Montgomery will also be fine. Mostly, she suffered from blood loss and shock. I've given her some Dittany and Blood-Replenisher and the wound is healing nicely. It is too soon to tell if it will scar or not."

"You'll let me know if anything changes? Or when you get new information?"

"I will," Dumbledore affirmed.

Aloiki sighed and stroked his daughter's palm with his fingertips as he had done when she was small. "I have to get back to Jessica," he said, reluctantly.

"My fireplace is yours, when you are ready," Dumbledore told him.

"Thank you for looking after them, even if this tournament is a deeply terrible idea."

"It will be my pleasure to see that it is never played again."

Aloiki sighed again and kissed Leilani's forehead. He patted her hand and placed it gently back on the bed, then he and Dumbledore walked out, leaving the two girls in the capable hands of the school nurse.