Aria Black and the Triwizard Tournament

You Are Something Special, Aria Black

The next morning, the foreign students and the Hogwarts students meet in the courtyard for one final goodbye. Many are crying, especially Marie. She's made so many friends here at Hogwarts. I have to wait in a line to bid her farewell. She tells me to write, and I promise to do so. Sophie hugs me, not quite knowing what to say.

Fleur and her sister are receiving multiple goodbyes, but I'm not sure they know many of the people that approach them. When they see me, they make their way over. Fleur is graceful, but kind and sweet as well. She apologizes for the loss of Cedric, wiping away a tear of her own. They were friends. I congratulate her on her job in the tournament, and she hugs me one last time.

Nick is standing by Thierry, whose hair has grown down to his chest. They've both got their bags in their hands, ready to leave me. Thierry and I exchange an awkward handshake, before I throw myself into Nick's arms.

"I'll see you in less than two weeks, alright?" I tell him firmly. "No later. I don't care if I have to fly all the way to France, I will haul your sorry ass home."

Nick holds me tightly, muscles keeping me close to him. He's so tall, but right now he seems much smaller. "Thank you." He murmurs, those two words saying a thousand things all at once.

"Thank YOU." I reply, forcing a grin. I'll see him in a few weeks, right?

Madame Maxime, dressed head to toe in black feathers, comes and ushers Nick and the other Beauxbatons students onto the carriage to go home. The Durmstrang students are still talking, though. Aleksander is hugging Alicia, and my eyes meet Dimitri's for a split second. He apologizes without a word, and I nod.

I'd better go finish packing. The train leaves soon. Most of my things are packed, spare a few odds and ends.

Before I can reach the stairs, however, I'm pushed into an empty hallway by five burly Bulgarian men. They're dressed in their cloaks, looking harsh and unforgiving.

Nikolai leads the pack, short cropped hair covered by a furry hat. He pushes me into the wall. "One last chance." He breathes into my face. "Tell us vere our vomen vent."

I shove him off of me, standing defensively against the wall. Ivan, Vlad, and Marlo seem ready to burst with anger. Kristian's eyes are full of maliciousness. "They aren't yours. They never will be!"

"Dammit voman, tell us vere they are!" Marlo shouts, looking quite unhinged.

Ivan steps forward. I think of all of the bruises he left on Elena. "Ve know you helped them leave. Tell us vere if you vant to leave in one piece."

I growl. "Perhaps they just got a head start going home." I just have to keep them talking. Someone will eventually hear us and come. "Or maybe they didn't want to be stuck on a boat with the five of you lousy sods. If only you knew they were people, not objects."

"Listen!" Kristian cries, slamming me backward into the wall. "Ve don't have time to play games. Vere. Are. They."

I chuckle dryly. They are so obviously rattled by me. I can't let my fear show. "No games? Aw man, I like games. Not even Rock Paper Scissors? If you've got cards, we could play Gin Rummy or Kings in the Corner. How about this? We can play pretend. You five can pretend that you aren't the most awful beings to ever walk the planet, and I'll pretend this never happened, okay?"