The Girl Forgotten

The Tutor and The Beast

* This is now the start of the 4th year *

"Can you believe it?" Padma breathed, throwing herself across her bed in the Ravenclaw dormitory. 

"It's so exciting!" Haley exclaimed as she sat down beside her friend, "Who do you think will enter?"

"Hm. The Triwizard Tournament. They'll have to be smart enough to know a lot of spells."

The girls were buzzing at the news of the tournament that Dumbledore had announced at the feast that night.

"And they have to be 17 years old." Luna chimed in from where she stood, unpacking her clothes from her suitcase. It was their first night back at Hogwarts after summer break and suitcases brimming with clothes were scattered across their dorm.

"It must be quite dangerous tasks if they made the age requirement so high." Padma said with an inquisitive look.

Cho nodded in agreement from where she sat on the floor with her feet tucked under her. She did not share the dormitory with the other girls since she was in the year above them but she often found herself lounging on the rugs of the 4th year dorms, chatting with the girls.

Haley savored these moments with her close friends. During her third year, she bonded to Padma and Cho. Harry's bond still remained the strongest and Ama's bond was next but her bond to the girls slowly grew throughout the past year. Now when either girl was extremely nervous or upset, Haley felt it right away.

Cho let out a dreamy sigh. "I bet Cedric would enter."

"Oh of course you would bet on him!" Padma called in a teasing manner as Luna looked up with a small smile. Haley picked up the pillow beside her and tossed it at Cho who ducked just in time for it to go sailing passed her.

"Hey!" She cried. 

"You should also keep your options open..." Haley trailed off. She thought of this past summer when Harry visited her for the month of July and he had confided in her that he fancied Cho.

"You're right. What if one of those Durmstrang boys sweeps me off my feet?" She replied, laying her hand dramatically across her forehead.

Haley rolled her eyes as Padma laughed earnestly.

The girls continued their chatting late through the night. Haley relaxed, absorbing the feeling of being home again. She had made a decision this summer. That this year, if Harry gets in any trouble, she was not staying out of it. The past two years her brother was in danger and she was helpless to stop it. This year though, it would all be different.

~~~~~~~

Haley rushed to the Tutoring Room which happened to be on the other side of the castle from the dining hall. She had gotten carried away in her debate over wether wrackspurts were real or not. Sadly, this was not a uncommon breakfast debate. Harry always sided with Hermione who says it's all rubbish and Haley always sided with Luna who knew so much about these creatures, it just had to be true. The two girls often shared a look that said, Gryffindors.

She had lost track of time as the conversation carried on and now she was bursting in through the heavy doors of the Tutoring Room five minutes late. She rushed over and signed in before taking her seat in the desk next to Cho with an exasperated sigh.

The Tutoring Room was filled with books, quills, and always smelled like sage and fresh parchment. There were multiple desks, all spread apart so that conversation from one desk would not disturb another. One chair at each desk was currently filled, mostly by Ravenclaws but there were few others of different houses.