The professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were lost for words. How could two underage children, and contestants of a completion they couldn't even join, have saved the two girls that a group of adults couldn't even save?

Only Professor Snape had given Aline detention, for not using her Wolfsbane at the full moon until the very last moment.

Aline had begun to feel rather queasy when Harry handed her the Wolfsbane and she used it to transform back into her human form before stepping foot in the castle. Both Remus and Snape agreed Aline needed to be disciplined for her actions.

As such, Aline was told to write a twenty page parchment on the dangers of werewolves not taking the Wolfsbane at the full moon.

Time passed. Her stint had given her some social leverage amongst her peers. Aline noticed more and more of her fellow Gryffindors would say hi to her between classes or save her a seat at the table in the Great Hall. Nothing major but it was a good change. Even Ellie was happy that she could spend more time with her first year peers and was finally making new friends in her age group.

-x-x-x-

Winter settled upon Hogwarts. Aline had never liked the cold. Living in wild with Greyback's pack meant sleeping on the ground or in makeshift shelters and caves. It meant being hungry and damp all the time.

And now she had a warm bed and a good supper every night but she still shivered as the first snow settled on her bedroom window.

It was on that one cold winter's day that, George approached her at breakfast and pointed to a girl sitting across the table.

"See her?"

"Yeah," Aline nodded. "That's one of the Beauxbaton girls."

"Giselle. She's Fleur's friend," George says dreamily, "I need you to return the favor."

"And...oh!" Aline realizes. "You want me to talk to her...for you?"

"I've always liked you Aline," George said with a wink.

"But why don't you talk to her yourself?"

"It's the Yule Ball." George says matter-of-factly, like Aline is supposed to know what he means. Then he sighs, realizing he actually is going to have to explain it to her. "Because girls like to be asked out in creative ways. I need you to get some intel for me. What color she likes, what food she likes, is there a place she's at often."

"Got it." Aline smiles. "I never thought of you as a romantic?"

"Well, now you know."

Aline's got some ideas, but not enough. She figures she may need to approach Fleur personally.

-x-x-x-

"Giselle?" Fleur says. She's in the library, reading up on Magical Artifacts, "I not not think she's going to ze ball with anyone yet?"

"Im curious how she feels about one of my friends asking her." Aline hopes she hasn't over-assumed George is her friend.

"A friend of Aline's iz a friend of mine," Fleur smiles. "After what you did for my sister, I owe you."

"He is a really great guy," Aline says, choosing her words carefully, "Very creative. He hopes you have some ideas for what Giselle might like so he could impress her."

"Ah! Ze romance?" Fleur giggles. "Yes, Giselle likes this." Then her eyes dawn at Aline. "And you? You will go with ze boy of your dreams?"

"Well I...I don't have a boy of my dreams," Aline says, emphesis on 'my'.

"You know. Harry of course."

"Harry?!" Aline nearly splutters. "Harry isn't the boy of my dreams...he's just ...just a friend...I guess."

"Ah but Aline! Ze French have a word for this type of ze friend. We call them 'petit ami'...little friend. And they are ... ze boy-friend..."

"I uh..." Aline mumbles, blushing hard. "The French probably are not like the English."

"No, but we are much better at love. You English are much better at friendship. Maybe we can learn from each other?" Fleur says.

"Maybe."

"Also, yes." Fleur flips through the book. "You see here, I am reading about ze special dragon eggs. It says here, you can try the egg under water to see ze effect. Fire and ze water, do not mix. Maybe this egg will do something special?"

"Oh, good call!" Aline says. "Maybe I can try placing it in a bath or something."

"Yes!"

Aline nods. She will have to return the favor and let Harry know about this water trick. After all, Harry was the one who told her about the dragon task. It's only fair.

Harry is quite ecstatic about the discovery. "Wow, water...really?"

"It's worth a shot," Aline says, shrugging.

"Yeah. You know...there's a bathroom for Prefects upstairs. Cedric's told me about visiting it...maybe it has to do with the egg."

"Great idea!" Aline jumps in. "We haven't even thought about the egg and the clue for the next task. It's time we try!"