Aria Black and the Triwizard Tournament

Perhaps He's Off Selling His Seed

The Third Task is approaching quickly, as are exams. I've been continuing my lessons with Mad-Eye twice a week, and I'm really starting to get better. I can stun a small target wandlessly now, but I'm constantly looking over my shoulder for someone to attack me.

Study group is no longer fun. The sessions are filled with grueling essay-writing and studying for exams. Cho, Terence, Olivia, and I compile our notes to create study guides. I've never actually spent so much time studying.

I head to the Owlery to check my mail. Turns out that I have two letters: one from Remus and one from Eleazar. Wanting to hear if he's agreed to my plan, I open Eleazar's first.

Aria,

I'm very sorry for the situation your friends have been put in, but I'm afraid I can't help them due to the risk of them having AB blood. I'm trying to get it under control with medicine (who knew?), but I can't be sure your friends will be safe. I am sorry, my dear, but I cannot do anything that would endanger anyone ever again. I would suggest your friends act as if everything is normal. In the mean time, I will continue to think of ways to help them escape. I've head all of the stuff they are saying about Barty Crouch in the newspaper. This tournament sounds dangerous. Stay safe, Aria, and do NOT engage with the Durmstrang men.

Eleazar

I groan. Eleazar doesn't seem to think he can take the Durmstrang girls to France. I vow to talk to Elena, Zara, Mira, Raina, and Violeta about getting their blood tested, and we can go from there. I tear open the envelope containing Remus's letter.

My Ariana,

I am worried about you. Sirius told me that Crouch has gone missing. I don't know if you know that yet, but things with this tournament have become more and more critical. Please, please do not do anything that would get yourself hurt. Never go anywhere alone. I love you.

That is the shortest letter I have ever gotten from Remus. I wonder if he's alright... he hasn't said anything about Tonks or my mother's diary yet.

Nick meets me under our tree three weeks before the Third Task. Exams are the day of the Third Task, and I'm dreading them and their ability to make or break my grades.

"Hey stranger." He says, but I only nod.

I plop down beside him, lying on my back and looking up. Through the tree branches, I see speckled of sunlight peeking through. "I have a problem." I say. Then I tell him all about my problems with the Durmstrang students and how Eleazar doesn't want to help them.

"God, Aria," Nick says in annoyance, "He isn't being lazy or anything, he's being cautious. Not everyone is as careless with others' lives as you are."

I blink once, then twice, trying to process what he said. Nick and I don't fight much. We don't fight at all, actually. And I'm not even careless with the lives of others! One could make a case about me being careless with my own life, but not others' lives.

"What the hell?" I cry, sitting up. "I am not careless! I just want them to be safe, and if Eleazar can get them to safety, then I'd say it's a good option."

Nick leans back on his wrists, glaring at me. "You would risk their lives?"

"They wouldn't die!" I exclaim, my head pounding with ferocious anger. "They'd be with Eleazar!"