A/N: This was delayed a bit as I was recovering from a car accident I was in, so I apologize for the late update. As I was writing this chapter, I realized that it was going to be a mammoth of a chapter if I didn't split it into two parts, so the first trial will have to wait until the next chapter. As always, please enjoy and let me know what you think!

Song inspiration for this chapter: Ta-ku - Long Time No See (Feat. Atu)

As soon as Harry's name was chosen by the Goblet, Dumbledore led the champions, Professors Snape, McGonagall, Jackson, and Karkaroff, Madam Maxine, and Barty Crouch Sr. to the trophy room. Dumbledore was the last to enter and the door closed with a resounding thud. That was when all hell broke loose. In the privacy of the trophy room, Madam Maxine and Professor Karkaroff began flinging accusatory remarks at an unprepared Harry while Mr. Crouch rummaged in his bag for some document he couldn't find. Fleur and Victor shared a look that said, I'm not getting in the middle of that, opting to stay quiet until their respective heads of school finished blowing off their steam. Meanwhile, Dumbledore was in deep conversation with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. Professor Jackson watched the chaos unfold from the afar, situating himself near the back of the room.

"Dumbledore, how can you let this boy cheat? This is a disgrace!" exclaimed Madam Maxine, her pointer finger pointed squarely at Harry's nose.

"What did you do, boy? How did you fool the Goblet?" Karkaroff's face was only inches away from Harry's face, glaring menacingly. Harry sank deeper into the chair, hoping to create some space.

"Woah, wait! Calm the fuck down for a second!" Brook exclaimed, putting a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. "You don't even have proof that he did it!"

"Proof? We have all the proof we need. His name was chosen by the Goblet." Karkaroff snarled, coming face to face with Brook.

She could only roll her eyes. "Yeah, we all saw that; we were just there. What I'm saying is that the Goblet is protected by magical charms, and Harry, as a fourth year student at Hogwarts shouldn't and doesn't have the knowledge necessary to bypass the security installed by Dumbledore and the Ministry."

"You don't want to test me, girl."

"Yeah? Try me, you—" Brook didn't get to finish as she was interrupted by Dumbledore clearing his throat. He strode over to where Harry was sitting and kneeled to his eye level.

"Harry, answer me in complete honesty. Did you put your name in the Goblet?" He asked calmly.

"No sir, I did not." Harry replied, shaking his head vigorously.

"He could be lying!" Madam Maxine shrieked.

Dumbledore beckoned Professor Snape over.

"Severus, the Veritaserum, please." He turned his attention back to the Gryffindor. "Harry, this is a very powerful truth potion. I do believe you, but this is necessary to put some minds at ease."

Harry nodded and drank the vial in one go.

"Did you enter your name in the Goblet?"

"No sir."

Dumbledore stood up and faced the two accusatory professors. "There you have it." He gestured to Harry.

"He doesn't have to compete, right? Since he didn't enter his name?" Brook asked, eyes darting from Dumbledore to Mr. Crouch and back to Dumbledore again. Mr. Crouch was still mumbling to himself with his hand deep into his bag when he suddenly pulled out a piece of parchment.

"I believe I have the answer to your question, Miss Wayne. According to the official rules of the Triwizard Tournament drafted centuries ago, "when a champion is chosen, the witch or wizard is automatically bound to a magical contract that can only be voided in the event of serious injury, death, or the completion of the tournament.'"

"So, Monsieur Potter will have to compete." Madame Maxine commented ruefully.

"Yes, it seems that way," said Dumbledore.

"Albus, you're not seriously going to let Harry compete? He's only a fourth year, after all," exclaimed Professor McGonagall in an attempt to protect one of her lions.

"I am aware of that, but given the circumstances, I am afraid that there is no other option present. Mister Potter will have to compete in the Triwizard Tournament."

Brook walked towards the Ilvermorny helicopter at a brisk pace, bundled up in her overcoat. As she crossed the main quad of the campus, there was not a soul to be seen. Just about all of the students had made their way to their respective dorms presumably to talk about the tournament amongst themselves.

With each step, she saw the hints of her visible breath, chilled by the crisp Scottish night air. Her hands were stuffed in her coat pockets, providing her some warmth, but she definitely regretted forgoing her scarf tonight. The frigid gusts stung her already reddened cheeks even though it wasn't as cold as it would be during the winters at Hogwarts. She flinched when the leaves rustled in the icy winds, her nose scrunched up, bracing for impact. She didn't necessarily mind the cold; she'd lived in New York for just about her entire life, after all, but the autumn nights at Hogwarts were still, well, cold.

As she neared the helicopter, she could make out a lone figure standing beside the main doors to the dormitories. Brook quickened her pace. The curfew was in effect; there shouldn't be anyone outside the campus at this hour. She dug her hand out of her pocket and reached inside her coat, her fingers closing around her wand in her holster, just in case.

When the figure turned around, Brook slowed down to a walk and let go of her wand, her shoulders visibly relaxing, now free of tension. She was surprised that she didn't notice the unmistakable mess of brown curls from a distance. Her scarlet and gold scarf was a dead giveaway as well in hindsight.

Jumping slightly with a jolt, Hermione greeted Brook with a warm smile that she always had for her. However, it turned into some unnatural mixture of a smirk and a frown because of her numb face. Her cheeks were almost as red as her scarf, battered by the cold winds.

"Hello, Brooklyn." She offered a wave.

"Jesus, Hermione. Have you been waiting out here?" Brook frowned as she took in the lioness's outfit tonight: just her usual white buttoned shirt coupled with her Gryffindor styled tie underneath her grey knitted jumper and rounded off by her simple black skirt. Judging by the color of her cheeks and the way she crossed her arms, she must have been standing out here for a while. She was still fidgeting to maintain any resemblance of warmth.

"Yes, waiting for you, actually."

"God, you must be freezing. Here," Brook undid the buttons on her overcoat and slid it over Hermione's shoulders. "Better?"

Hermione nodded, smiling meekly, grateful for the additional layer of clothing. Brook walked up to the doors of the helicopter and uttered the secret phrase.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident." The doors slid open silently. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the password.

"The Declaration of Independence?"

Brook looked back with a smirk, one foot in the helicopter.

"Yeah, our Headmaster chose it before we left. Pretty fitting since we're in Britain, huh?" The Gryffindor merely rolled her eyes as a response and followed Brook into the Ilvermorny dormitories.

"You know," Brook started, glancing to her left. "You could have just knocked. Someone would have opened the doors for you."

Hermione shrugged. "It's late. I didn't want to wake anyone."

"Fair enough, I guess."

The Ilvermorny dorms were unlike any that Hermione had seen before. The walls were lined with wood tiles, illuminated with skylights that stretched as far as the eye can see. Famous paintings and photographs by American artists adorned the walls, some that Hermione was sure she had seen in a museum. They were in mint perfect condition, and she couldn't possibly discern the difference. In the nighttime, fluorescent lights that weaved through the cracks in the wooden walls lit the marble floor, providing additional sight in the darkness. Intermittently, there were large windows that offered glimpses into the indoor garden the dormitories housed. She wasn't the botany expert that Neville was, but Hermione could still recognize the roses, tulips, and pine trees that populated the natural space. She even saw gigantic redwood trees that seemed to go on for miles, nearly touching the stars.

Hermione was too busy gawking at the garden to notice that Brook had stopped, causing them to knock shoulders. She had to take a step back to regain her balance.

"Sorry, I didn't see that you stopped."

"You're good. So, this is it." Brook gestured to the door that was carved out of the wooden wall. "Chocolate cheesecake," she stated. With that, the door slid open.

"Chocolate cheesecake?" Hermione chuckled at the unexpected password.

"It's my favorite dessert." Brook defended.

Brook's room was incredibly spacious, if not a little…bare. It had all the necessities: a desk, a bed, and a bathroom, but it lacked a personal touch. It might have well been stolen straight out of a generic IKEA catalog. There were barely any personal items to speak of, barring her textbooks and a solitary framed picture on her desk of her and Alexis. It was taken at a Yankees game, with both girls donning Derek Jeter jerseys and matching Yankees hats. Alexis took the photo herself, smiling as wide as her cheeks will allow, while Brook, with her aviators on, stared blankly at the camera, a minute hint of a smile creeping in the corner of her mouth.

Hermione stood idly near the entrance, unsure of where to sit.

"You can sit on the bed, just let me put my bag away." Brook turned around, facing her guest. "Do you want coffee? Some tea?"

"Tea please."

After a couple of minutes, they sat face to face on Brook's bed, a steaming mug of Earl Grey tea and a freshly brewed cup of cappuccino in their respective hands.

Hermione was warming up each passing second thanks to her tea.

"So, what brings you here at this hour?" Brook inquired, taking a sip of her coffee afterwards.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about the tournament. More specifically, about Harry."

"Um. Okay?" She wasn't sure where this conversation leading.

"I don't understand how his name was chosen, but considering how Harry is a human magnet for trouble, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." Her shoulder slumped as she let out a sigh. "I'm worried for him. I read up on the history of the tournament, and I found that, statistically, the death rate for champions is about 23 percent. Which is absurd for a school competition! I don't have the faintest idea what Dumbledore's reasons are for resurrecting the tournament, but I can tell you they're not good enough."

"So, you're worried about Harry getting hurt?"

"Well, yes. But more specifically, for him ending up dead. The competition is a literal death trap, for God's sake! It's not that I don't have confidence in his magical abilities; I do. I can't count the number of times he has saved my life over the last few years, but he's still a fourth year."

"Right. But I'm a fifth year. Not much of a difference."

Hermione scooted closer. "But I've seen what you can do, Brooklyn. Trust me, you're far more capable than any fifth year I've seen." Brook opened her mouth to protest, but Hermione kept going.

"And don't even try to display any false modesty, Brooklyn Wayne, because I've seen you perform more wandless magic than some adults can." Brook closed her mouth at that. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… Please look out for Harry, Brooklyn. And I know that this is a competition and all, but please." Brook could see the sincerity in the Gryffindor's eyes. "He's been through so much already. More than what anyone should have to go through in a lifetime. This is the last thing he needs on his plate."

"Okay."

Hermione seemed taken aback.

"Okay? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Hermione sported a wide grin the entire trek back to the Gryffindor dorms, some weight taken off of her shoulders. The cold didn't bother her as much as it did an hour earlier, mainly because of the coat that Brook insisted she hang on to for the night. She could still smell the traces of coffee on her coat. It made her smile even wider.

Fleur cautiously stepped into her room late in the night after a long talk with Madame Maxine about expectations for the tournament.

"It is imperative that you do whatever it takes to win this tournament, you understand? It is the first Triwizard Tournament in centuries, and Beauxbatons will not have its reputation tarnished by a twelve year old boy! I'm sure you are aware of what an embarrassing showing in the tournament would mean for your family's name, Miss Delacour? Good. I'm sure you'll do all of us proud. I've outlined a training regimen for you that you will start tomorrow. There will be no excuses, Miss Delacour. Anything less than the best is unacceptable. You would be wise to remember that."

She opened the door to her room carefully, not wanting to wake anyone up. She was surprised to be greeted with a scene that absolutely melted her heart.

Alexis and Gabrielle were sprawled out on the floor, facing each other as they concentrated on their ongoing chess match. The redhead wore a content smile on her face, waiting for the younger veela to make her move. Judging from the number of pieces still left on the board, it was clear that Alexis was in complete control of the game. Fleur opted to just stand in the doorway, happy to drink in the scene in front of her. Gabrielle furrowed her eyebrows and rolled a pawn she had won between her fingers while contemplating her next move. No matter what she did on the board, Alexis always had the perfect counter. It was a lost cause from the first move.

"You're too good at this game." Gabrielle was exasperated, having just lost her queen. "We should play something else."

"All right. What suits your fancy?"

Gabrielle looked up at Alexis with pure confusion etched on her face. "Suits…my fancy? What is, 'my fancy'?"

"She's asking for your preference, Gabrielle." They turned towards the door at the sound of Fleur's voice.

"Fleur!"

The youngest Delacour rushed to her sister, enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug.

"You're back! I can't believe you're a champion, Fleur. Have you told mama? Did they tell you what you're going to be up against for the first task?"

"No, not yet." Fleur returned her sister's hug with the same intensity. Over her shoulder, she saw Alexis waiting patiently a few paces behind them, a somber smile on her face. "It's getting late. How about you go to sleep and I'll tell you everything you want to know in the morning?"

"Okay. See you tomorrow then. Goodnight, Fleur." She waved to the redhead as well. "Goodnight, Alex. Thanks for playing with me."

"Anytime."

Fleur gently closed the door behind Gabrielle before facing her girlfriend. Wow. It still feels a bit weird to say that.

"I'm sorry about Gabrielle. She tends to get bored quite easily. I apologize if she bothered you at all."

"No, no, no. Not at all. She's a sweet kid, it was my pleasure." Fleur gracefully closed the distance between them and greeted her with a chaste kiss to her cheek. Alexis knew that it was customary to do so in French culture, but it didn't stop her cheeks from flushing. Even seconds after, she could still feel the veela's lips on her skin.

"What's on your mind, ma belle? I can tell that something is bothering you."

"Can we sit?" She gestured to Fleur's bed.

"If you wanted me in bed, you should have just said so," Fleur wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Alexis rolled her eyes in response, her cheeks heating up even further.

"Just sit. And listen."

"Is this about the tournament?"

"Yeah. It is. And before you say anything, just hear me out first. Then, I'll listen to anything you have to say. Deal?"

Fleur nodded.

"I don't want you to compete in the tournament."

Fleur opened her mouth to argue, but immediately closed it, remembering her promise.

"I know how much this means to you, your family, and your school, Fleur, but I'm worried. It's not to say that I'm not happy for you, I am. I know that I can't convince you otherwise and stop you from competing. And I won't since you want to be a champion, but it doesn't mean that I'm not any less afraid of you getting hurt or killed in one of these tasks. You're a great witch, Fleur, nobody doubts that, but it's still incredibly dangerous. I guess what I'm trying to say is…I'm scared. Terrified, actually."

The veela brought her in for a tight hug, rubbing soothing circles on Alexis' back.

"I know, ma cheríe. I am too. But you'll have to trust me, trust that I can make it back to you every task unscathed. Can you do that for me?"

"I trust you," she mumbled into her shoulder. When she looked up again, there was a single tear leaking out from her eye. Fleur delicately touched her fingers to her cheek and wiped the tear away.

"I need you to promise me." Alexis started. "Promise me that you won't be a hero. Don't try anything dangerously stupid and put your life on the line just for a trophy. I want you back in one piece. You're still my girl even if you don't win." More tears threatened to spilled out of her eyes. "Don't be a hero, Fleur. Please."

"I promise."

There was only one morning in the past five years of school that Alexis had breakfast without a grumpy billionaire by her side, silently sipping coffee. Today made it the second time. The first time it happened, it was purely out of necessity.

It was in their third year, long after Brook had given up on ignoring Alexis' constant attempts at friendship and actually gave the girl a chance. The night before that day, a series of coordinated attacks on Wayne Enterprises property forced Julius to retrieve Brook from the Ilvermorny campus with armed guards to place the heiress in hiding in a safe house with an undisclosed location. Alexis spent the following 24 hours in a flurry of worried texts and nervous nail biting.

11:48 PM

Alexis

Hey, are you okay?

Where are they taking you?

Is it safe?

Just text me when you get there so I know you're okay!

Brook

I just arrived.

And also, the point of a safe house is that

no one knows where it is.

Alexis

Whoops! Sorry.

Do you know when you can come back?

Brook

I don't know

Could be days, weeks, tough to tell

Alexis

Oh

Brook

Oh what?

Alexis

This thing could take weeks?

Brook

With the military grade explosives they used and the

precision and coordination of the attacks, I'm

led to believe that we're dealing with a more

serious threat than I first thought.

I have to go; need to brief the board.

Alexis

Ok, I'm going to miss you!

But please please PLEASE stay safe!

Don't do anything STUPID or STUBBORN

OR BOTH

BROOKLYN KATE WAYNE IF YOU PUT

YOURSELF IN ANY MORE DANGER I SWEAR

I WILL TRACK YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU MYSELF

Brook

No promises.

Brook returned to school the next day, reassuring Headmaster Jackson, Julius, and especially Alexis that everything is fine and that they have nothing to worry about. Julius followed Brook to her dorm and pleaded for her to rethink her decision.

"All I'm saying is that it would be prudent for us to wait until more information has been revealed. There's no use in risking your life unnecessarily."

"The preliminary forensics report from the FBI indicates that the main cause of the damage was due to military grade explosives. If that really is the case, then our perpetrators can be assumed as a no-maj organization, right? Then, logically, Ilvermorny would be the safest location."

Julius opened his mouth to interject, but Brook continued on, the look on her face as determined as ever. She had the famous "Wayne look" that made seasoned CEOs and aurors alike tremble in fear, which she undoubtedly inherited from her parents. With each passing day, Julius could see how much of the late Waynes were evident on the young heiress. She was a perfect mirror of both, an uncompromising mixture of power and conviction.

"I refuse to be scared into hiding. Cowering away in a remote safe house is exactly what they want. A Wayne does not bend. A Wayne does not hide. You should know that better than anyone." She nearly snarled the words as it left her throat. Her eyes darkened considerably, almost a midnight black rather than her usual grey.

"They wanted my attention, now they have it. I will not hesitate to use every available resource to find those responsible and make sure they never see the light of day again. I'm staying here, and that's final."

So there she was, walking into the Great Hall with a coffee in each hand that she had made while completely forgetting that Brook won't be joining her this morning. It was second nature at this point, a reflex she had developed over the years: Wake up, brew coffee for two, wake up Brook.

But today, she was without best friend for the majority of the day, as Brook and the other champions were granted a special schedule to fit their training regimen from their respective head of schools. Alexis scanned over the Gryffindor table, searching for the group of lions that she regularly dined with.

It had surprised both Alexis and Brook how quickly they had made friends at Hogwarts. Sure, Alexis had a handful of friends back in Ilvermorny and Brook even less so, but within a week of setting foot in Scotland, they already had found a group welcoming arms in record time. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and even the notoriously shy Neville seemed to genuinely enjoy the Americans' presence, taking no time at all to integrate them into their pre-existing circle of friends.

They had also introduced Alexis and Brook to other students in different houses, such as Luna, a Ravenclaw, and Hannah, a Hufflepuff. Even as an exchange student, Alexis felt very acclimated to the ways of the Scottish wizarding school in the month and a half she has been here.

As always, Ginny was in a heated debate about quidditch with another Gryffindor, she couldn't quite remember the name of…Kristen? No. Kelly? Not that either. Ah, Katie! That's it. Katie. Hermione and Neville were well into their discussion about herbology and which plants would be present for the midterm test that loomed in a week. It was almost as if nothing had changed, as if the Triwizard Tournament was just a figment of her imagination that never occurred, but the section of the table was too bare for that to her reality. The table was missing several key individuals, namely Harry, Ron, and Brook.

Harry and Brook's absence Alexis could understand, remembering how the heiress insisted that Harry accompany her and participate in her training sessions. But Ron's absence she could not figure out. He didn't have an early morning class that she knew of like Hermione (not that he would be interested in such a class anyway). He also never missed breakfast, or any meal really. Despite his moderately slim stature, the Weasley could scarf down an entire feast by himself if he wanted to. And yet, he was nowhere to be seen. It was odd, to say the least.

"Where's Ron?" Alexis inquired, filling in the empty space that they had reserved for her between Ginny and Hermione.

"Oh, don't even get me started on my idiot brother." Ginny huffed, turning her attention to the fellow redhead who just joined the table. "Ron's got his knickers in a bunch because Harry's a champion and he's not."

Grabbing a croissant off of the pastries rack, Alexis raised an eyebrow.

"But Harry didn't want to champion in the first place. He didn't even put his name in. He couldn't have put his name in."

"Exactly!" Ginny let out an exasperated sigh, throwing her hands up in frustration. "He can't get that through that thick skull of his and he's been avoiding us ever since. Especially Harry. Hermione and I have been trying to talk to him, but he's too busy being an idiot to actually listen."

"I'm sure he'll come around eventually." She offered without knowing if that would be the case. From the little interactions she's had with Ron, it seemed like he was a genuinely nice guy, maybe just a bit misguided at times. But what does she know? She's only been here for a month and a half, after all.

The rest of breakfast was a normal affair, the four Gryffindors and the exchange student discussing a myriad of topics ranging from upcoming quidditch season to the ridiculous five foot essay that Professor Snape had assigned. Apparently, Ginny and Katie were both on the Gryffindor quidditch team with the former having made the team as a second-year, a rare occurrence only outshone by Harry's induction into the team during his first-year. They discussed potential tactics and expectations for the season ahead. There wasn't a huge talent drop-off from this year's team and last year's, even with the departure of the seventh-year players. An exciting new wrinkle to this season was the inclusion of the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons teams, a welcome but formidable challenge.

"Merlin, Krum's going to absolutely murder us on the pitch, isn't he?" Ginny groaned, taking her face in her hands.

"I'd be impressed if the game doesn't end in a minute, to be honest," Katie replied. The Bulgarian was simply out of their league in quidditch, figuratively and literally. According to Ginny, she had never seen any seeker like him before. His speed and agility in the skies were simply unmatched.

"What about Ilvermorny? Do you have a team as well?" Hermione asked, always curious to learn about the various wizarding cultures of the world.

"We have one, but it's not that big or serious. It's not a huge sport in America. I don't think any of the students that came here play it." That was nearly blasphemous to Ginny's ears. Quidditch? A small sport? Not serious? What kind of backwards country was America?

"How is that possible? What could you all possibly play that's better than quidditch?" Ginny was at a loss.

"We usually play no-maj—sorry, muggle sports." Alexis corrected herself. It was going to take some time to get used to the colloquial terms of the British wizarding world. "Like soccer, basketball, and whatnot. Almost everyone plays a sport at Ilvermorny: I play soccer and Brook plays basketball, for example."

"Any particular reason why muggle sports are still popular in the American wizarding world?" Hermione piped up, her ever-present penchant for knowledge peaking through.

"I think we make a concerted effort to kinda mesh the magical and muggle worlds together. Muggle technology is allowed on Ilvermorny campus and sometimes even used in class." Hermione was enthralled by what she was hearing. She had been to neighboring countries like France and Ireland before, but she had yet to venture outside of Europe, which was what made this year's exchange student program so exciting. She could learn so much from her fellow classmates; they had so much to offer. "If I remember correctly, ever since the Salem witch trials, the wizards in America have tried to maintain a close and friendly relationship with the muggles. I think the main reason for the integration of muggle culture is to never let something as horrendous as the witch trials happen again through understanding on both sides."

"Oh that is absolutely fascinating. Do you happen to have a History of Magic textbook from Ilvermorny that I could borrow? I love to know more."

"Of course! I'm not sure if I still have it, but I'm 99% sure that Brook has a copy that she's never touched."

"So, going back to quidditch." Ginny changed directions back to the original topic of the discussion. She still couldn't believe that quidditch was not the most sport in America. Ridiculous. "Do you guys know anything about the Beauxbatons team?"

"Oh, Fleur plays for them! She's a chaser, I think." Alexis said, perking up at the opportunity to talk about her girlfriend.

"Fleur? Like the one that has the entire Hogwarts male population drooling, that Fleur?"

"Speak of the devil," Katie muttered, just barely audible to Ginny and Alexis.

Alexis jumped ever so slightly in her seat when the veela's soft lips landed on her cheek.

"Good morning, ma belle. I didn't mean to scare you." Alexis waved her off.

"Oh no, no. You're good." She squeaked out, her cheeks matching the color of her hair. Did it just get hot in here all of the sudden?

"I have to go train for the tournament, but I wanted to say hello and drop this off." Fleur rummaged in her bag for a moment and pulled out a rather thick and ancient looking book, which Alexis gladly accepted. "I had it brought in from France and translated to English. I think you might find it quite…interesting." Fleur reached down and whispered the last word in the redhead's hair, sending chills down her spine. Fleur departed with a flirty wink and an airy laugh. "I'll see you at dinner, cheríe."

Katie let out a low whistle, remarking, "That's some girl,"

Ginny belted out laughing from her left, giving Alexis a playful nudge.

"Bloody hell, Thompson's got game! Way to go, Alexis!"

Yeah. It definitely got hotter in here.