Bella wasn't one to miss out on something as exciting as the triwizard tournament.

And while she was certain she could figure out a way to get around the age restrictions; she knew Sirius, Cissy and-most terrifyingly-Andy would never let her live it down.

And besides, her new beau wasn't one for the limelight, no matter how much it found him. It's what was intriguing about him; magically powerful and smart no matter how much he wished to downplay it. Yet he wasn't smug or a braggart. He'd probably take the loss of his magic before he agreed to playing in the tournament.

Still, she wished to test her mettle against the best Europe could provide, and she hated being denied something she so dearly wanted. She had to make due with dueling with Harry and-sometimes-Hermione, the little witch was surprisingly ruthless when Bella could taunt the caution out of the girls movements.

She wondered if she could convince professor flitwick to revive the dueling club, the man had been a popular dueler back when he'd frequented the circuit, surely he'd be all for sponsoring the club. And if the mainlanders wanted to join while they were there, all the better.

She was just beginning to think up the details for her new club when Harry found her.

"You're usually not one for libraries." he joked as he sat down across from her, "especially on a nice evening like this."

"Homework caught my attention for once." she drawled, "but that didn't last long, currently i'm thinking about starting a dueling club."

"Flitwick would love that."

"That's what I was thinking! And maybe we can get a few matches going against those continent bastards."

Harry chuckled a bit, "you really want to be a part of the tournament, don't you?"

"I enjoy challenges." she drawled, "and being put up against the best of europe sounds enticing." she smiled and leaned into his side, "you don't want any of that do you," she simpered, making him chuckle,"you want to go to school and act like a normal little jock don't you?"

"I would prefer it." he mumbled sheepishly, "The last three years have been full of excitement, I think the end of semester last year was more tame than the last two though."

Bella giggled a bit, "well this year you get to play the normal student, with a pretty, normal girlfriend."

"You," he said, nudging her goodnaturedly with his shoulder, "are anything but normal, my dear Miss Black."

Bella's grin was almost feral as she kissed his cheek, standing up promptly and dancing away from his grasp, "let's go for a snack down in the kitchens, I'm feeling a bit peckish."

Harry looked down at the essay he had just come into the library to work on, then to his girlfriend, eyes shining with mischief. "Sure thing," he said, stuffing the parchment back into his bag and heading off with ehr.

It wasn't due for another few weeks anyway, and knowing Bella they'd work on it well before then.

WVWVW

"Over here!"

Luna carefully crawled under a low hanging branch, her eyes alight with excitement.

"You found a bowtruckle tree." she whispered to Ron, who was gingerly stepping around the small tree. He'd only agreed to come out with Luna because he figured Bella wouldn't like the diminutive blonde roaming around the forbidden forest alone.

Who knew he'd be helping her in a creature hunt.

"Try not to disturb them." The younger girl urged him as she pulled a sketch book, watching as the tiny stick-figures attempted to hide amongst the leaves, "bowtruckles are shy, but they will attack if they think their tree is in danger."

"Take it those long fingers aren't just for unlocking things?" Ron guessed, earning him a raised eyebrow, "Charlie was really into magical creatures, there wasn't a fact about Newt Scamander that he didn't know that he didn't share with us."

Luna smiled up at him and Ron felt his chest warm a bit, "not many bowtruckles like adventure." Luna mused as she drew one that carefully looked out from behind a leaf. "Mr. Scamanders was the most well known. And even then not many know he had one "

"Pickett." Ron said.

"Hmm?" Luna tilted her head, looking up at him with her luminous eyes.

"His name was Pickett," Ron clarified, "the bowtruckle."

Luna smiled sweetly at him, "you must've enjoyed listening to Charlie talk about Mr. Scamander." She said

"He was the only one out of my older siblings that dedicated any extra time with me." Ron shrugged, watching as the bowtruckle Luna was sketching carefully walked out, looking at both of them as the other bowtruckles began to move about once more. "Bill paid more attention to Ginny, Percy didn't like spending time with any of us, and spending time with the twins was…hazardous for your health." He glanced at Luna, worried he'd been talking too long, but she only hummed in acknowledgement of his words, urging him to continue as she continued to draw, "but Charlie, he'd always stop to talk with me when he'd see me playing alone; He always talked about what dragon he's studying, or the theory paper some magizoologist or other had published. Most of it went over my head, but I'd latch on to what I did understand and we'd talk for hours…" he trailed off as he looked up towards the cloudy sky, he hadn't talked to Charlie since the Quidditch world cup, maybe he'd send a letter this week.

"Is that why you chose care of magical creatures for your extra classes?" She asked, holding the sketch of the bowtruckle up for the bowtruckle to see. The little creature gave out little squeaks of excitement, and Ron got to watch on with amusement as it waved the other bowtruckles over to see the sketch.

"No, I chose it because it was easy." Ron said sheepishly, "I'm not really smart, so it seemed like a class I could get an easy grade in."

"You're smart." Luna told him, smiling down at the now waving bowtruckle as she reached out, the small spindly creature climbing onto her hand, curiously examining her fingers as she brought the little thing closer, "Ginevra says you're really good at chess."

"That's not about smarts though." He pointed out, "that's strategy."

Luna quirked an eyebrow at him and Ron blushed, "strategy is just using the knowledge you have to come up with a plan going forward." She said lightly, "you know the move your opponent will most likely use, and you use that knowledge to make the best move you can. School isn't so much different."

Ron snorted a bit, "I'll take your word for it." He mumbled.

"You should." She said brightly, holding her hand out to Ron, the bowtruckle was now staring at him curiously as it jumped onto his shoulder, tiny hands grasping one of the locks of his hair to look at, "I may be a bit barmy, but i like to think i know what i'm talking about."

"You're not barmy Luna." Ron said, a flash of guilt running through him as he remembered the name he'd happily used alongside everyone else in the school, "you're just…unique."

Luna's smile was practically radiant at his words, "thank you Ronald." she carefully stood, taking a few steps back, "I'm going to go check on the Thestral herd, if you want to come along after you put our new friend back."

"Oh, sure." he said as Luna skipped away, he gently picked the bowtruckle up and set it back on the tree, "you chaps stay safe." Ron said seriously as he turned away to follow Luna, not noticing the Bowtruckle gently latch on to his cloak as it flitted close to the tree.

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"But don't you want to be free?" Hermione asked the elves exasperatedly, she was currently in the kitchens, trying-unsuccessfully-to pitch freedom to the House Elves.

"We is not needing freedom, miss." the head elf said firmly, his frame far thinner and his skin far more wrinkly than the other elves, "hogwarts elves be taken care of greatly! Only Dobby be free out of choice."

Dobby-who had brought Hermione to the kitchen at her request-nodded happily, "Dobby gets paid one galleon a month! With one day off every three months!" He was practically giddy despite the looks of disgust the other elves gave him; save for the head elf, who was nodding in agreement and approval.

"Dobby, that's abhorrent! You should be getting paid more!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Oh Dobby declined Professor Dumbles offer of three galleons a week and two days off a week." he said earnestly, "Elves not be needing much miss, and Dobby be very comfortable."

Hermione paused, mulling his words over, "then…if you could ask for something, something you needed, what would it be?" she asked the head elf, who tilted his head.

"Need?" he asked, looking around the room, "Harley be thinking Hogwarts elves have what wes be needing Miss," He said firmly, though not unkindly, "Dumbles is a good master, and he makes sure wes be having what we need."

"Um…dinky might know something." a timid voice mumbled, making Hermione turn around to look at a smaller elf wringing its hands nervously just behind Dobby.

"What does Dinky know?" Harley asked the elfling gently

"M-Missy bes having bad masters." he whispered to Hermione and Harley, who bowed his head in sadness and worry.

"Missy? Who's missy?" she asked the elfling gently.

"Missy be Dinky's sister." he explained, "Dinky was given to Hogwarts, while Missy was given to friends of master…they is baaad masters miss, always hitting and throwing things at Missy and the other elves."

"Hogwarts has no power over other masters." Harley said sadly, "and Missy must be good elf."

"But why?" Hermione asked, the anger rising up in the back of her mind falling into the pit that opened up at the practically miserable look the older elf had.

"Elves be creatures of magic, Miss Hermy," Dobby explained morosely, "we can't survive if we's not good elves who serve their masters."

Harley nodded, while Dinky looked like he was ready to cry.

Hermione's eyes widened, "but-dobby, you're free aren't you?"

"Dobby has a contract," he said, puffing his chest up as he glared at the who'd been side-eyeing them, "and so long as Dobby abides by the contract, then Dobby survives, though, professor Dumby said we'd have to…re-negotiate in a year or so."

Hermione slowly began smiling, "what if…and this will take a lot of work-and maybe a bit of sacrifice-but what if we advocate for Contracts for the elves under horrid masters? It might require them to go on strike-and i know that's practically suicide if they don't agree-but how many masters can survive on their own without their house elves doing everything?"

Suddenly, every elf in the room stopped, all of them looking towards Hermione in surprise. Many of them began whispering of their own siblings and friends living under abusive masters.

Harley cupped his chin, "another problem," he muttered, "elves can't disobey orders, wes be magically compelled. Ignoring the orders…hurts."

Dobby spoke up here, 'Dobby would purposefully misunderstand orders to do what Dobby needed to, to save Harry potter…" he trailed off as everyone stared at him in surprise. "It weakened Dobby, not following masters orders exactly, but it worked."

Harley nodded, "sacrifice will be needed." he murmured, realizing what Dobby was getting at.

'W-wait, I don't want you to hurt yourselves!" Hermione stuttered. But the elves were already talking amongst themselves, even the ones that had been side-eyeing Dobby in disgust were calling out names of elves that they could help. "Maybe this wasn't as good a plan as i thought…" she mumbled, but Dobby shook his head.

"Freedom is worth momentary pain." Dobby said, a faraway look in his eye.

Hermione deflated a bit, patting her friend's shoulder in comfort. "You'll also need representation," she said to the room at large, still looking worried, but resolute in helping however she could, "someone who can advocate on your behalf in the Wizengamot and with the masters."

It took her a bit to convince them she couldn't be that person, no matter how flattered she was.

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Bella laughed as she ran through the halls, Luna right alongside her as the majority of the owlery flew after them.

"Bella!" Harry shouted, staring in horror at the hoard of Owl's bearing down the hall, "what did you do!"

"run if you don't want to be swarmed!" she cackled as she slid down the bannister, Luna giggling as she took the stairs three at a time, barn owls and screech owl's swirling around the two as the bell rang and students flooded the hall.

Only to either jump back into their classes, or take off running in terror as the owls swarmed, some landing on their owners, others chasing after students that had swiped or otherwise vexed them in some way.

In the middle of it all was Bella, still laughing wildly as she watched the chaos she'd created, Hedwig perched on her shoulder. Eyes wide and staring as Harry finally caught up to them.

"Not the kind of normal you wanted?" She grinned, the owl's were now flying out open windows as Professor McGonagall stalked towards them, wand flicking to open more windows and send the more ornery owl's away with angry swipes of her wand. "MS. BLACK!"

"Far better than anything in the last three years." he said with a grin, "Though I think McGonagal's gonna have your head."

"It's a good thing it's pretty, she can use it as a centerpiece." she said as Hedwig took off. Flying away, "Minnie." She greeted McGonagall.

"What en blazes were you thinking!" McGonagall snarled, students scurrying away to avoid the wrath of the teacher, "how did you even get that many owl's to follow you!"

"I wondered if they'd gotten exercise today," she said simply. "Then I wondered if they'd had fun, so I went and asked them."

"I was there when she asked." Luna said serenely, "it was all good fun."

"Good fun?" McGonagall whispered in shock.

"Well no one's hurt," Bella supplied, glancing to the side where Goyle was staring at the wall in shock, a chunk of his hair missing, "well, no one got seriously hurt."
McGonagall sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "fifty points from Ravenclaw. And Detention, for the week. All of you."

"But I wasn't a part of this-" Harry objected.

"All of you! With Mr. Filch!" With that, McGonagall was off, muttering under her breath about 'the madness of Marauders and their cousins'.

"Definitely nowhere near as bad as I thought it'd be." Bella said ponderously, placing a finger on her chin in thought.

"You actually thought about the consequences? Color me surprised." Harry said cheekily.

"I mean, I thought about it when I saw her down the hall, before that it was more about fun than anything else."

"And now we have detention with Filch." he grumbled.

"Don't worry," she said, turning to face him and patting his cheek affectionately, "I'll make it up to you."

"I like Mr. Filch, he's a good painter." Luna stated, making the two older teens look at her in confusion, "he's the one who repairs the paintings when they need it."

"I remember Dumbledore saying something about that." Harry said after a moment. "After the Fat Lady was attacked by Sirius."

"That's right, you think that's why they have a caretaker despite having house elves?" Bella wondered as all three began walking.

"Stands to reason, also nice to have a ready made punishment for kids i suppose."

All three continued on, chatting happily despite the dozens of confused and slightly scared eyes.

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Draco Malfoy was a man defeated.

As was his father, though he'd never admit it to anyone.

And all of it started when Bella black had returned from her traipse through time.

Before that Draco was entirely sure his mother was content to allow them to continue on as they had. Content in being the average pureblood lady who only kept abreast of what her son was doing through regular letters home. His grudges were his own and she'd only offer a disapproving frown when hearing about his scuffles and fights and improper words.

But now he was told that he was to be nice to Potter and his mudblood friends, that he had to actually try in his classes-he was already doing that, but the implication that he hadn't been doing so before that was irksome. Not only that, but he had Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass watching his every move, the two most neutral students in Slytherin house and they'd sided with his mother and wouldn't hesitate to rat him out if he tried provoking the Gryffindor ponce into any kind of altercation.

The traitors.

But all of that was tolerable compared to this.

"And so I said we'd we wouldn't be accepting that kind of behavior in the maternal ward, and that if he wasn't going to be polite, he could leave." his Aunt Andromeda said, sipping tea as his mother and Bella listened to her every word, the three sisters had dragged Draco, Lucius, Ted and Harry out to Madam Pudifoots during the first Hogsmeade trip of the year; his father looked like he'd eaten something particularly sour, while Ted and Harry were more than content to simply sit in silence with the other two while the sisters conversed, "of course he didn't want to take orders from me, and drew his wand."

"He dared-" Bella started, stopping when Narcissa placed a calming hand on her arm.

"Oh he did indeed, and he almost immediately regretted it when I blasted him out of the ward and directly into the Aurors hands." Andy said demurely. Dabbing at her lips as her sisters laughed.

"So," Harry Bloody Potter said from across the table, idly stirring his tea after he'd added an ungodly amount of milk and sugar, "how's classes nephew?"

Lucius snorted into his tea, quickly dabbing at his robes where he'd spilled it.

'Excuse me, Potter?" Draco spluttered, staring at him incredulously; was he serious?

"I asked how your classes are going." Harry asked again seriously, his lips twitching a bit, "your auntie has been very worried about your marks."

"Never knew Bella to be one for school." Ted noted, unlike the rest of them, he'd requested pumpkin juice. Another mark against the mudblood in Draco's opinion.

"Oh she's very academically inclined. And I myself am very invested in my nephew's future."

"You-" he bit off his words as his father excused himself, speeding away from the table. One could hear a chortle as he rounded the corner.

"You think he'll laugh in the bathroom or outside?" Harry wondered conversationally as he finally sipped his tea, Ted chuckling beside him.

Draco glared at him for a bit, then sighed, "he'll go to the bathroom," he grumbled, "can't let the commoners know a Malfoy laughs after all."

"Pity that." Harry noted, glancing at the other table where the sisters were still talking. Completely ignoring their paramours in favor of catching up. "Doesn't seem like your mother got the memo."

"Once a Black." Ted offered, "I know Andy says that at least once a day."

"Were the Black's particularly humorous?" Draco asked. "All my father says is they're mad."

"What's that say about him if he married one?" Harry returned.

"What's it say about me that I married one?" Ted questioned.

"That you have a death wish?" Draco guessed, "that's what half the school thinks about Potter for dating my cousin-'

"-aunty, and I don't have a death wish." Harry sighed, grinning when Draco glared at him once more. "You'll understand when you're older and you fancy a witch."

"We're the same age!" Draco exploded, "I think I'm a month older than you!"

"Draco! Mind your manners!" his mother chided, "that's your uncle you're talking too!"

Immediately Harry and Ted lost composure and began laughing. Bella's wild cackling joined in.

He really hated family bonding.

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"I still don't understand why we're just standing here." Ron grumbled, looking around the grounds of hogwarts. The entire student body was standing in rows in front of the castle; sorted by house and standing in line by year, this was the most orderly they'd ever seen the students of Hogwarts be. "It's been hours."

"It's only been thirty minutes Ronald." Hermione sighed, glancing at him and cocking her head, "Is that a bowtruckle?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, little guy snagged a ride when I was in the forest with Luna." Ron said, glancing at the small stick-like being as it peaked out from the collar of his robe, "his name's Benny."

"You named the Bowtruckle Benny?" Hermione asked incredulously as Harry peaked over and asked, "you were in the forest with Luna?"

Ron's ears went scarlet, "she asked if i would accompany her," he muttered, absentmindedly playing with the hem of his sleeve, "figured Bella wouldn't want her getting hurt."

"I think you're more likely to get hurt in there than luna." Harry said seriously, "she's practically a woodland nymph to the creatures in there. I don't think even the Acromantulas hate her."

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Ron grumbled, "besides, she doesn't go near the Acromantula colony, says nothing is allowed in there but food; she's not wrong mind you, remember when we almost got on the menu?"

"How many times have you gone into the forest with her?" This time the question was from Pavarti, who was staring at Ron with genuine curiosity and a glint of hunger at potential gossip.

"Well…i mean…it's not like i count…" he spluttered, refusing to look at any of them as he reached up to pull Benny off his neck; he loved the little guy, but his claws weren't too comfortable on bare skin, he placed him in his hair, knowing the stick had been trying to nestle into the thick locks for warmth.

"Do you?" Harry asked amusedly.

Ron was saved from answering as Colin Creevey suddenly shouted, "Look! Up in the sky!" causing the orderly lines of students to immediately gaggle and start looking to the sky,

"There!"

"What is it?"

"Are they flying in on brooms?"

"No way, it's a dragon!"

"No, it's a giant house!"

The last one was the closest as a giant carriage came dropping out of the sky. Pulled along by giant winged horses that landed on the grass elegantly. The giant powder blue carriage rolling to a stop as its driver called for the horses to slow. A few moments later he was stepping off his seat and opening the carriage door after extending a small step.

The first person out was a giant of a woman, easily as tall as Hagrid, maybe a few inches taller. She was beautiful and elegant, with olive skin and a beak-like nose, her silky hair pulled back in a knot at the base of her neck. She was dressed in black satin and was adorned in multicolored jewelry that complimented her outfit nicely. Behind her came a group of students dressed in what looked like blue silk robes.

Definitely not something you'd want to be wearing on a cold October night of scotland.

"Dumbly-dore!" The large woman called, voice full of joy-no doubt in seeing her old friend; whom she easily dwarfed as she bent down a bit to hug him, "it has been too long!"

"That it has Olympe, perhaps you and your students would like to take shelter inside."

"Oui," she agreed, "we were not prepared for your 'arsh winters." she said, "though my Abraxans, they require-er-a firm hand. They are quite strong-"

"Not to worry," dumbledore said amicably, "our groundskeeper Hagrid will be more than able to handle them."

"Very well, can you tell this…'agrid that they only drink single malt whiskey?"

"Of course madam."

With that the beauxbatons students quickly scurried into the castle, trying to match the long strides of their larger than life headmistress.

"Merlin, that was a big woman." Seamus said, wincing when Pavarti swatted his head.

"Don't be rude!" she scolded.

"But he's not wrong," Lavender said, "she was at least as tall as hagrid!"

Before anyone could respond another shout sounded out.

"Something's happening in the Black Lake!"

"A submarine?" Hermione questioned as they watched the water bulge and ripple as something rose from the depths.

"It's a pirate ship!" Bella cheered gleefully, and she was right. A giant three mast ship burst from the murky waters. Bobbing back and forth as it slowly made its way towards the small dock.

"Wonder how traveling underwater was for them." Ron wondered aloud.

"Can't be much worse than a flying carriage can it?" Seamus asked.

"Hush!" McGonagall's reprimand sounded out as the ship docked and a gangplank extended, soon a group of students bundled up in furs came trooping out lead by a man in sleek silver furs; as tall and thin as dumbledore, his goatee barely covering his weak chin and his smile doing nothing to cover his yellow teeth as he held his hand out for the headmaster, "Albus!" He cried cheerfully, though none of it reached his cold blue eyes, "very good to be seeing you my friend!"

"Igor," Dumbledore greeted politely, "good travels I hope."

"Of course! Of course, nothing but smooth sailing." he chuckled good naturedly, before frowning and looking back, "where is he-ah! VIktor! Come!"

Ron gasped, "it's Viktor Krum." he whispered in awe as the Quidditch star stepped out of the crowd, likewise dressed in furs and staring straight ahead as he came to a stop by the headmaster.

"How are you doin' Viktor? Not catching a cold are you?"

"I am fine, headmaster." the man said stoically.

"Best be getting inside, all of you!" Karkarov barked back at the rest of his students.

"Indeed." Dumbledore said, offering a guiding hand to the door. As soon as the Durmstrang students were inside he allowed prefects to guide their houses back into the castle.

"I feel like we could've stayed inside for this." Bella said as she suddenly fell into step beside Harry, his hand unconsciously wrapping around hers, "especially since we didn't mingle with them."

"Yeah, a bit pointless." Harry agreed, "Honestly all of this seems kind of pointless."

"You would think that." she sighed dramatically, draping herself onto his shoulders, "I bet you'd skip the champion pick tomorrow if you could."

"Well, you're not wrong." Harry agreed, nudging her "better go to the ravenclaw table before McGonagall has a fit." he said, both glancing to the head table where said professor was leveling an impressive glare at them.

"Normally i'd love to see how far I could push it, but she's got that look in her eye that's telling me i'm about to be skewered." she quickly kissed his cheek, "Don't miss me too much." she sang, slipping away as Harry laughed and shook his head fondly as he walked towards the gryffindor table, content to be a passive watcher for the upcoming tournament.