Chapter 5

Students were partying together tonight, in the spirit of international cooperation. Harry beamed at this, determined to not lose his new friend Alex. He smiled encouragingly at her, and ran off to find Dumbledore. He watched as Mr. Crouch congratulate Justin, but listened as the old man scolded him for selecting his sister. Apparently, the hardened judge had his own list that Justin should have used. Harry shook his head disbelievingly. The old man had hounded the champions every step of the way. He wished Percy could have been there instead.

The party was one to remember. There was an official feast, an official party for the champions, and then there were the underground parties. Griffindor tower had a hole the size of a griffon. The house elves were running around frantic, but excited to serve.

Harry did not let the night slip by. Ginny was proud of him for getting the ball, and told him he could win it back in the maze. Then she lead him to the floor, and they danced. The theme was masks that night. He put one on, which did little to disguise him because everyone recognized him anyway. Justin had the same problem. Everyone was pulling him aside and wanted to share something with him. A rowdy yell came as a beautiful girl with ink-black curly hair and full lips pulled the Wiz-tech champion down for some tonguing, then disappeared. Justin looked shocked. People patted him on the back.

A girl wearing Alex's dress, with shocking red hair and pale white skin walked up to Harry, hesitating to do the same. Ron was cheering in the background, oblivious to what was happening in his friend's head. Time slowed, the only sound was the beating of his heart, and the sound of the girl's breathing. Her eyes were so familiar, and his heart beat out its love in his ears. There was no name, no memory, just the distance between his lips and her, and the reason she was lengthening the distance.

Screw the rules, he told himself. It worked in the past, right? He pulled her in a full kiss, cherishing the taste. He grabbed her arms with surprising force. He would not let her go. Her breaths came frantic, and rapid on his cheek, and her chest against his. When he released, he pulled the girl to the edge of the room, away from the spectators. His was aware, vaguely, a smug look on Hermione's face. He had told his friend that Ginny was a friend, and that 'brotherhood' with Ron made it impossible to start anything either.

His hand gripped the ring on the 'mystery girl's' finger. Technically, he had no idea who the girl behind the white mask was. She had not said anything, nor had he. And Ron was shouting some pretty crude ideas at the lovers' backs, which were ignored, then interrupted by Hermione.

It was too short a night for the boys at Hogwarts.

Alex checked her reflection in the mirror. Tonight was going to be amazing. Ginny had swapped dresses but Alex did not mind. The lighter colors meant she would be harder to recognize. She reached into her bag and pulled out a mask.

Tonight was going to be amazing. She had already changed the theme from 'sucks to be you' to 'masks and mystery' for her own reasons. Justin would never know what hit him. The girl reclined in her chair, watching the other girls in the Vanity Room use magic on themselves and their clothes. The mass-cloned masks needed to be individualized.

A stab of jealousy flooded the Russo as she listened to a couple of Ravenclaw girls discuss Justin. He was but a prize to be won, and that probably did not matter to him. Women had always been her brother's weakness.

Tonight's prank was going to make it all worthwhile. She was going to find a way to get Justin a mystery girl who he would pursue to the ends of the wizard world, but never find. Alex, Ginny, and Hermione did a round-robin make-over. They started with Hermione, knowing she would take the longest. And she was the longest… to break down and admit she liked a boy. Knowing that the champions would be waiting dutifully, Alex and Ginny both took their time.

When she was finished, but not prepared to go, Ginny turned to Alex, a look of terror in her eyes. Without even stealing a glance, Alex finished putting in her earrings, assured Ginny she would be the most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen, and left.

Justin was sitting outside the party with his head in his hands muttering to himself. If Dumbledore had not locked the trophy room, it was likely he and Cedric would both be there. She kissed the back of his neck, and lured him into the party.

He danced with her, and held her tightly. She lost herself to the music, and the feeling of belonging. Tonight, he was hers, and no one else had him. And she was his to, and that did not bother her. She felt a burning rush every time they touched.

Then everything was ruined. Dumbledore's phoenix patronus showed up, summoning Justin and his family to the headmaster's office. He rushed away, knowing that he would only be called if there was a huge emergency.

Sure enough, by the time Alex and Justin reached the headmaster's office, their parents were there. Mrs. Russo was sobbing hysterically, and Mr. Russo stopped comforting her to talk to his son. Alex could not hear everything, but the words 'love' and 'family' filtered through, his wife through herself into Justin. Max and Alex exchanged worried glances. They had never seen their parents so worried.

Apparently they were there because some Rita woman was writing about the champions. Harry and Cedric both sat themselves next to Justin, who was reading through the article. Alex had no idea what was so important. She did not read the newspaper (reading, ugh) or see what Harry's orphan status made for an important article.

"Almost all the champions are orphans, Viktor's parents lost their lives due to fall out from Grimwauld, Cedric lost his parents in the Wizard War, Mr. Phoenix was been in and out of homes for years…." It was at this point that he broke off, because Justin was frowning at something.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with Justin?" Alex asked, confused.

There was an uncomfortable silence broken by Max. He dropped the bomb on her, "Justin's adopted."