Aline can't fight dragons. She know that much.

She's on edge most of the day, and even Snape's Valerian tincture doesn't help much. She needs someone who can help her, give her some friendly advice.

She's learned a few spells in her weeks here at Hogwarts, but barely enough to confidently make her navigate through the competition. She hasn't been successful at any duels in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Finally, she caves in and approaches Fred and George Weasley.

"So, you've finally come to us," Fred smirks.

'Took you long enough," George agrees.

Aline sighs. "Look, I'm not here to play games. I know you don't think much of me but I need your help. And I'm willing to pay."

"Intriguing, go on?"

"I need something that can help me in the competition, something that doesn't require skill," she says. "I don't know much magic, but maybe something to increase my strength, or my skill or at least the impression of it."

The twins exchange a mischevious look. "We have something just for you."

"And for payment."

"We will pretend this is an advance product. When the time comes, we will ask for a favor."

Aline nodded, hoping this was worth it.

-x-x-x-

It's the day of the competition. She's barely slept the night before, scared out of her mind. She hopes what the Weasley boys had given her was worth it. The potion was called Liquid Luck, also known as Felix Felicis. It is supposed to give her the courage to face the dragon alone.

Aline heads up the hill towards the Quidditch stadium. There's supposed to be a tent there for the champions to meet at before the start of the task.

As she walks, she hears loud voices behind her. Turning, she gasps, sheilding her eyes from the bright flash of a camera. It's some sort of curly haired lady with cat-eye glasses.

"Rita Skeeter, from the Daily Prophet. Just a few questions Miss!"

Aline backs away, she doesn't need this attention and feels cornered. There's a floating quill there recording every spoen word in a little notebook.

"How does it feel being paired up with Harry Potter, the two youngest ever competitors in the Triwizard Tournament." Rita and her crew walk closer and closer. "And what is the relation between you and Mr Potter? You are dating? Clearly there's reason why you were chosen-"

"Please . Leave." Aline strides up the hill, her pace quickening to a jog. The reporters are fast behind her snapping photos.

"Miss! Please! Just tell us what kind of skill you posess that will help you in the contest? What's your favorite color? What can you say to your adoring fans."

"What can I say?" Aline snarls. She's tripped over a rock and banged her knee. "This." In an instant, she's let out her teeth and barks at the crew, sending them in a fit of screams.

One last lunge and she's in the tent. She bumps face first into- "Viktor?!"

One moment and the two are sprawled on the floor. "I am so sorry!"

"Vat is this? You are fine?"

It's at that moment the tent flaps open to let in Rita and the crew. They snap their photos and Aline can only imagine what can come of it. Rolling over she sheilds her eyes in a last attempt to protect herself. Then comes professor Dumbledore, Madame Maxine, Professor Karkaroff and the rest of the champions. Viktor straights himself, offering a hand to Aline, but the damage is already done. Fleur has her hand over her lips and Harry's brows furrow.

"Out. Everyone out," Dumbledore says, shooing out the reporting crew. "Now, the Minister will do the honors of introducing you to the first task of the Tournament. As most of you already have guessed-dragons. If you can reach your hands into the bag, please, and pull out the creature you will be up against."

Fleur went first, selecting the Common Welsh Green. Then went Viktor with the Chinese Fireball. Harry stuck his hand in pulling out the deadly Hungarian Horntail. Finally it was Aline's turn. She stuck her hand in and was instantly nipped by the

"Swedish Short-Snout."

It was a tiny miniature of the blue dragon with a pudgy face. She swallowed.

The contestants were given thirty minutes to prepare for the show time.

Harry sat stiff faced on his little cot in the corner, as each of them had been given a space to lie down. When he saw Aline, she stood and turned. "So, you've got a plan?" He said the words coldly.

"Yeah, well sort of." Aline shifted her feet.

"Well if it involves Viktor Krum, then I hate to break it to you, but the Durmstrangers have never been too trustworthy."

"What is your problem," Aline snapped. "Because whatever you saw was an accident."

"Sure."

It was at that moment, Hermione Granger snuck through the tent, and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. "How are you?"

"Fine," Harry said, stealing a biting glance at Aline. "It is going to be good."

Aline was not even at fault here. She went to her side of the tent and shut the privacy flap. Sitting on her cot, she uncorked the potion top. It said to take it about twenty minutes prior to get full effects, and since she was up first, she needed all the help she could get. Fred and George said the effects would be minimal, maybe heart palpatations and some sweating, but she'd have all the courage and luck in the world. It was a risk she was willing to take. Downing the last of the potion, she waited for the Felix Flicius to work its charms.

-x-x-x-

"Aline Lupin!"

Aline's feet seemed glued to the ground as she was guided towards the door of the arena. Please work, please work, she prayed to the potion. She looked around, trying to gage where the dragon was.

Walking forwards, she ducked behind a rock. It felt like hunting with the pack. In the distance, she saw something gold and sparkling. Her eyes zeroed in on the object. This is what she needed to catch.

Instinctively, she got down on her hands and knees, crouching and crawling past the rocks, slowly and ready to pounce. Her veins seemed to fill with heat, a soft and brave warmth that grew closer with every step. She hoped the potion was working.

It was so close, so near. Her teeth grazed the tips of her lips, a thin sliver of saliva trickling to the forefront of her mouth. That's when a gust of wind knocked her aside.

Tumbling and landing on fours, she looked up fast enough to see a streak of blue sweeping towards her. Instead of being scared, which she normally would be, she had a new feeling-unstoppable.

She now understood what Greyback meant when he told the wolves that on the battlefeild, one had to feel like one had already caught the prey in their jaws.

Aline had it in her grasp. She could taste the victor.

She rolled over hiding under the crevice of a rock. And when she heard the noise of the wings move past her, she pounced forwards, tearing through the arena and avoiding rocks.

Two more steps.

One more.

She was in the center.

And she had the egg.

The cheers made her ears mute, breathing heavy she looked around, imagining her sister Ellie's face when she saw her win. She;d won. Right?

Then claws knocked her down and over. She tumbled, her arm skin peirced open and gushing with blood.

"Damnit!" she cried wincing, the sparkling egg falling out of her grasp.

This was supposed to be victory. Unless? Unless the goal wasn't just to get the egg. It was to outwit the dragon.

She crawls up the edge of a rock, the wind blowing on her wounds-stinging hard and fast. She can't die like this. Not for the love of her sister and Remus.

She's been put here like an animal, it was time to start fighting like one. She eyes up the dragon, which is sitting on the end of the stadium and looking back at her. She remembers all about the hunt.

The first step is keep one's eyes on the prey, slowly advancing. That's what she does, keeping her body open and relaxed. She can't show she is afraid, not even a little bit. Creeping over, the dragon blows it's nostrils. She feels it coming on, the fire, and keeps steady.

The dragon exhales, smoke and flame coming out of its mouth, and Aline ducks down quick enough to avoid it. The dragon can't get her if she's in the crevices of the rocks. If she can only have the tools to knock the dragon out.

or perhaps she wouldn't need them. The sheer force of the colision of the dragon's weight might just be enough. Jumping from her cover, she charges towards the dragon , then beckons for it to follow her.

The animal obliges, stumbling after her, wings flapping furiously. The crowd's cheers settle down.

Aline runs for the door, the metal door she's entered from. Whistling, she beckons the dragon with an 'I'm here' gesture.

The dragon gets ready, wings flapping and flies over. One more second.

One more.

Now!

Aline jumps down into a crevice and sure enough, the flames go against the door, and the dragon crashes head first into the hotel metal. WIncing and screeching, it falls to the ground.

That's when the whistle is blown and fireworks fly into the sky.

She's won!

Aline can't beleive it! Egg in hand, she rushes out of the arena running into Fleur. Ina fit of emotion, hugs her.

"Zat was incredible," the French girl says.

"Good Luck!" Aline says smiling.

She comes out of the arena, people she's barely met running over and congratulating her! The Weasley twins whoop and her sister Ellie throws herself into her arms. She's hoisted in the air by some of her peers and everyone is shaking her hand and congratulating her.

For the first time in a long time, she begins to feel like coming to Hogwarts was a good decision. And her grin is a most geniune one.