A/N: Okay you'll probably recognize some bits in this chapter. Those would be Dumbledor's speech etc which I copied straight from GoF...I own NOTHING! Don't hurt me! I'm just striving for accuracy.

By the time Alex had finished gathering her stuff and appropriating a carriage Tania had vanished into the rain. Alex shrugged, using the motion to free herself from her book bag, which Blaise was attempting to carry for her.

When the three Slytherins stepped into the great hall, they found that they were much dryer than most of the students.

"You'd think they'd be intelligent enough to remember a simple water shedding spell." Milli scoffed as they passed the Gryffindor table, its occupants looking distinctly damp.

Either the Gryffindors didn't hear her or they were trying to practice the fine art of ignoring. Either way, Milli swept onward to the Slytherin table without so much as slowing her stride.

"Juvenile," Blaise muttered, causing Alex to chuckle.

An ominous roll of thunder casually announced the trio as they sank into their accustom seats at their table. The same heavy sound punctuated the entrance of Hagrid and the to-be-

Sorted first years. One miniscule boy was a walking rainstorm himself within the gamekeeper's huge coat.

Blaise raised one cultured eyebrow. "Me thinks I spy a future Gryffindor."

Milli sent her gaze heavenward and Alex smirked.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and began the Sorting. "Aaranthis, Leanna"

There was a short tense silence and then, "SLYTHERIN!"

Alex clapped politely as the girl swept down off the stool and sat at the end of the Slytherin table without hesitation.

"So, Alex, I've been hearing some interesting things about you." Jenna Montague leaned across her twin, Jonathan, and smiled evilly.

The Quidditch chaser pushed his sister off him and swept his gaze over all the parts of Alex that were visible. "So have I."

"Baddock, Malcolm......SLYTHERIN!"

"Really? I haven't."

Milli smirked as the twins exchanged a confused look. Alex sighed inwardly.

"But Pansy..." Jenna feigned a confused pause, shifting the blame form herself to Pansy. "Aren't you engaged to Draco?"

Alex stiffened and tried not to stare at Jenna. Engaged? To Draco? That was... She mentally flinched at the picture of herself under his control.

Blaise started to laugh, covering her silence. "Alex...en-engaged..."

Alex got her footing back. "Really? I'm engaged? That's news to me. Draco! Where's my ring?!"

Draco paused in his conversation with Goyle and looked over at her in query.

"It would seem Pansy is telling people that we're engaged. Yet my hand is bare and I think I blame you." Alex lifted her left hand to underscore her words.

Draco smirked. "I'll buy you jewelry if you want it, Alex, but I fear your hand will have to stay lonely."

"Pritchard, Graham."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"We're only acquaintances." Alex explained, amused.

"Perhaps even friends," Draco put in dryly.

"Perhaps." she shrugged. "But then, Pansy is always the most knowledgeable and truthful source of information about Draco Malfoy…" Her irony was forming puddles on the table. The twins smirked, remembering Pansy's downfall last year when she'd tried something like this after Draco had broken up with her.

There was a sudden silence at the front of the room announcing the beginning of Dumbledore's start of term speech.

"I have only two words to say to you," the elderly Headmaster said energetically. "Tuck in."

There was a collective scoff and rolling of the eyes from most of the Slytherin table, but none of them were any less eager than their fellow schoolmates as the food appeared before them.

As Blaise had said once in their first year, you could always tell the true pure-bloods from the lesser and buy-ins by the manners displayed as this table.

Alex carefully piled her plate with properly small sized portions of the least "common" foods until she had a balanced meal. Milli followed suit, emphasizing fruits and vegetables with the smallest amount of meat she could get away with.

"How lady-like of you both," Draco commented, his own plate piled high with food. Despite that slight regression Alex couldn't help but noticing that he was still using the same exact manners that she and Milli were. As Blaise had said....

From far down the table Pansy sent Alex a venomous glare. "Well, if I didn't just...." Alex whispered.

"What?" Blaise asked after he finished swallowing his bite of chicken and laid his fork back on his plate.

Alex glanced at him and smiled. "Oh nothing. I just realized something but it's not important." Inwardly thought patterns were doing some rapid shifting. Pansy...Merlin was it possible? Pansy was...jealous! Over Draco! It was all too ludicrous to comprehend. Why did he suddenly seem to be the root of all her problems? Well, if Pansy couldn't keep Draco then that was her problem. Alex didn't even want him.

"So then, if you aren't Draco's who are you with?" Jon asked, gesturing with a fork.

"Oh please!" Jenna exclaimed following the eternal rule that one twin had to answer the other twin no matter what. She tapped Jon on the nose with her spoon. "Don't you know anything brother dear? Bellmontes are never with anyone. The occasional one night stand is accepted but they remain nearly celibate until marriage."

"Then how do they end up married?" Jon shot back logically.

"I think I can answer that one. "Alex put in before yet another of the Twin Wars, so famous in Slytherin House, broke out. They might seem like they should be in Hufflepuff in general but one did not anger a Montague. "We, Bellmontes that is, choose mates of acceptable social and political standing with the help of our parents, siblings and the members of any allied families. Once we choose, a contract is offered to said person's family. Negotiations take place and lastly marriage. Really, I find it amazing that you have to ask. Surely your parents have dis..." Alex clapped her hand over her mouth in mocking dismay. "Oh! Perhaps you don't get married that way. I'm so sorry. I only assumed because all of the truly powerful pure-blooded families follow that time honored tradition. You really must forgive me."

Beside her Blaise snickered. There was no way the twins could take offense at that, not with the way she'd phrased it and so Alex got away with her insult clean.

"So!" The sound of Dumbledore's voice cut throw the chatter that filled the huge room. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle, has this year been extended to include, Screaming Yo-Yo's, Fanged Frisbees and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some 437 items, I believe and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anyone would like to check it."

A snicker came from nearby but Alex couldn't tell who it had come from.

"As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. 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..."

A huge crash of thunder punctuated by the main doors of the hall slamming open interrupted the Headmaster. Every eye in the room turned to face the newcomer. A tall man wrapped in a dripping black traveling cloak limped his ways towards the head table leaning heavily on a wooden staff. The rain in his long mane of grizzled hair caught firelight as he moved.

When he reached the head table he spoke quietly to Dumbledore. The utter silence that had followed his entrance was so profound that even the students at the far ends of the hall could faintly hear the sounds of the two men's voices. Shaking the Headmaster's hand the man sat.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody." Dumbledore spoke into the silence. Together he and Hagrid began to clap.

"Who the bloody hell-" Alex silenced Blaise with a wave of her hand. The Headmaster was speaking again and with the silence there was far too great a chance of being overheard.

"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."

From across the room one of the innumerable Weasleys yelled, "YOU'RE JOKING!!!"

Somehow that was what finally broke the deep silence. Most of the occupants of the Hall laughed. Even Alex had to crack a smile as she exchanged looks with Blaise.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley, 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..."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

"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."

"Doesn't need to tell me twice." Blaise muttered. "Who doesn't know what the TriWizard is?"

"Uh...the Mudbloods and Gryffindors." Alex said dryly. "This will be interesting to be sure. Oh and Blaise..."

"Yes Alex, Light of my Life, Tormentor of my Dreams, My Endless Money Pouch?"

Alex grabbed Blaise's goblet and sniffed its contents suspiciously. "Alright who slipped what to Lord Lech?"

No one met her glare. Blaise snorted. "I'm not drugged Alex, darling. I'm much more fun than this when I'm drugged. What was it you needed of me?"

"I need you to remind me to send my parents an owl before bed." She rolled her eyes at her friend. "I don't know if we have any feuds or alliances with outlying purebloods, it's not like I keep track, and I'd hate to misrepresent our family name to the newcomers."

"What? Forget to ask before you left home?" Blaise asked.

"Why would I remember? It's not like I knew I'd be running into people from Beauxbatons or Durmstrang."

"Do I hear correctly?" Draco sneered. "the high Lady Bellmonte didn't know about this event beforehand?"

"The Malfoys buy knowledge. We Bellmontes create our own." Alex responded icily.

"Touchy." Blaise muttered turning away from her. "So, planning on entering, Draco? Uphold the Malfoy name and all that."

"Wow, Zabini." Draco said, laughter underscoring his tone. "When you let your brain take a break you really go all out."

"Excuse me?" Blaise bit out imperiously.

"The Headmaster just said that they changed the rules this year. Apparently you have to be of age. Legally."

"Pity the Ministry changed the old laws." Alex put in. "Otherwise you'd both be considered of age, being fourteen and Heirs and then I'd get to watch you both battle nearly impossible foes and probably get yourselves killed."

"Why Alex." Draco drawled innocently. "what has you so riled up?"

Alex snorted in a rather unladylike way. "Draco Malfoy you have seen me almost riled up once. This is not riled up. The room and its occupants would not still be in one piece if I were."

Blaise stared at Draco his eyes wide in admiration that the other boy was still alive. "You saw Alex nearly lose her temper?! What happened?"

"I drew blood." Alex said quickly, before Draco could answer. He seemed to make the connection with which event she was talking about because his silver eyes darkened to stormy grey.

"Alex you draw blood when you're happy. What happened to actually make you angry? I have to know...mainly so I can avoid doing it."

Draco stepped in, his eyes never leaving Alex's. "Never stop treating her like the ice queen. She doesn't like it when people treat her like a woman."

Alex half rose from her seat, murder in her eyes. "Draco Lucius Malfoy-"

"Alex!" Blaise hissed, pulling her back into her seat. "Dumbledore!"

The Headmaster's words found her ears and Alex regained some control over her temper.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us and will give your whole hearted support to the Hogwarts Champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bed Time! Chop Chop!"

Blaise half lifted Alex to her feet along with the rest of the students. "I don't know what is going on between you and Malfoy, and I frankly don't want to know. I'm a mere Zabini and your feuds are to dangerous for the likes of me...however you shouldn't act the fool for his sake. I don't care what he did." He hissed the words in her ear as the two swept their way towards the Slytherin common room.

"You're right about one thing Blaise. You don't want to get caught in the middle of this. Opprimo." Alex added the password onto the end of her comment. The portrait swung open and she turned to face her friend. "I'm going to bed."

"Hey Alex." Blaise called from behind her. She paused halfway up the stairs to the girls' dorm.

"Yes Blaise?"

"Don't forget to write your parents."

A/N: The password is Latin. Literally translated by my helpful online Latin/English dictionary it means "to overpower". Fitting isn't it?

Once again I need to get out of my Alex mode and do something she would never dream of. Beg. Pleeeeeeease review. ::sniffle/sob:: Please?