a little more cheerful when she joined Deanna and Luna in the Great Hall for breakfast. She flashed a friendly smile to Fred and George upon passing the Gryffindor table, and was a bit disappointed that they could not sit with her and the other Ravenclaws, but reassured herself that she would most likely see Fred and George after the feast. She had missed them dearly, and after regaining the twins' friendship, it still seemed a little bittersweet.

"Hi," she greeted her two Ravenclaw friends. "How are you both?"

Deanna pushed her glasses further up her nose. "I'm good, I guess. I'm a little anxious for the Third Task."

"Why? It's not like you're doing it yourself."

"Yes, but I'm worried for Cedric and Harry. Haven't you heard what the task is going to involve?"

Before Arabella had time to reply, Luna interjected with the remains of a fried egg in her mouth. "It's a maze. With loads of dangerous obstacles, and the Triwizard Cup is at the end."

"How do you both know what the task is?" The redhead asked, perplexed.

"The elves in the kitchen said, and apparently they were told by Peeves the poltergeist, who was eavesdropping on conversations between the teaching staff." Luna chuckled. "Then I told Deanna."

"But students aren't allowed in the Hogwarts kitchens." Argued Bella.

The younger girl nodded. "I go in there sometimes at night, to speak to the elves. I imagine they are lonely in there, so I like to keep them company. Besides, the kitchen elves are extremely interesting; they know everything and anything about the castle. And they have all the student gossip, too. I don't know how they do it."

"Hm," she pondered. "Y'know, Luna, that's not a bad idea."

●

The sun was setting, and it was the first time that Bella had seen Viktor at all that day. He was walking the Hogwarts halls with his friends from Durmstrang, speaking in indistinguishable Bulgarian.

There was a small part of Bella that felt angry that she had not had seen him, as if he was avoiding her. Yet upon laying her eyes on him, the feeling that bubbled in her chest was not anger, but total guilt. Guilty that she told Dumbledore the truth, that she ratted him out. Her own boyfriend. "Viktor," she took him by the arm, much to the surprise of him and his friends. "I need to speak to you."

Without question, he followed the Ravenclaw to a quieter part of the corridor. "What did Dumbledore say to you yesterday?" Concern was laced within Arabella's voice, and her brows were furrowed.

Viktor seemed to mirror her expression. "I explained that attacking Zoe was an act of self defence, because she was phased and would've attacked us. Dumbledore let me off with a warning, but if I didn't explain that to him, it could've cost me my position in the Triwizard Tournament."

The redhead gasped. There it was; the guilt in her chest again. "I'm sorry, Vik. I feel awful about it, and I really didn't want it to affect us like it has."

"Sorry isn't enough, Bella. I lied for you, but you didn't lie for me back. I told Dumbledore that the reason for you not exposing Zoe was because you were scared of her intentions. And then you told him the truth anyway."

Bella was growing increasingly angry, as though her blood was turning the colour of her fiery ginger hair. "I told the truth because I had to. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Well clearly you weren't, because I almost got expelled from the Tournament. I could've been branded a criminal because of you! I could've been shipped off back home immediately because they thought of me as the attacker of an innocent Hogwarts student!" Viktor's tone was raised.

Bella wanted to scream at him. "But that isn't what happened, Viktor! They saw Zoe for the psychopath that she was, and she got expelled. They were on our side; Dumbledore knew you were innocent! Just accept that I'm really fucking sorry, and I know that it would've been all my fault if you got in trouble."

The Bulgarian turned his gaze away from the beautiful girl in front of him. "I already told you, Arabella. Sorry isn't enough."

Bella couldn't speak anymore; her throat was clogged with a sizzling anger. Through discombobulated mumbles, she gave up and turned on her heel, trudging away from Viktor with a tear that she would not allow to fall from her eye.

The Ravenclaw had cried far too much lately, in her own opinion. Over Viktor, over meaningless stress – whatever it was, it happened too often. She didn't like crying because she didn't like appearing weak. But it seemed as though Viktor had brought this weakness out of her, making her emotions arise to the surface, and on more than one occasion. She didn't like that one bit.

Torches had been lit around the Hogwarts halls, signifying that it was after dark and the sun had set. Pursuing the idea that Luna Lovegood unknowingly gave her, Arabella crept into the castle's kitchen. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the shadowy figures of the house elves in front of her. "Luna?" An elf spoke.

She grinned. "No, but I'm a friend of hers."

The abundance of elves stepped forward, where their faces became distinguishable amidst the dim candle light. "Students aren't supposed to be in the kitchens." A female elf challenged. She had droopy ears and a painfully high-pitched voice, with a stature that was significantly smaller than most house elves Bella had known.

"I was just wondering if you could tell me anything about the Third Task. I know that it's a maze – Luna told me herself – but I need more information and I was told you could give me some."

"Did Luna tell you that we were information-givers too?" Another elf asked, one with a more gruff and raspy tone.

Bella smiled. "Yes, actually." She awkwardly coughed when the elves didn't smile back. "So, any ideas on the task? Have you heard anything like how to get past the obstacles or how to complete the maze in the fastest time? Any gossip on strategies of the other Triwizard Champions? I'm asking on behalf of Harry Potter." She lied, hoping that if she pretended to be in support of Harry, the house elves would be more likely to give her information (of course she did support Harry, as he was a fellow Hogwarts student and somewhat of a friend, but Viktor was undoubtedly her priority).

The female elf shuffled forward timidly. "There are rumours that dark magic will be involved in this task, but it remains a mystery whether Dumbledore knows. The magic in the final task will most definitely be dangerous, with some frightening creatures in there too."

"I'm sure this will not be a problem for Harry Potter; that boy is a talented wizard." Another elf chimed with a reassuring grin.

"I heard that Durmstrang trains their students in dark magic, so maybe Viktor Krum is the reason behind the rumour. Maybe that's his strategy." A different elf spoke from the shadows.

Bella raised an eyebrow. "I can assure you that Viktor Krum is not a dark wizard. He's not evil."

"Maybe not, but Karkaroff certainly is. No doubt he has a bad influence on Krum if the teachings at Durmstrang are as harsh as people say they are."

Arabella pondered in thought; what if her boyfriend really was being brainwashed into using dark magic? Possibly even the Unforgivable Curses? Maybe that was why he was so competent in casting the fire spell that he used to attack Zoe, and why magic became his saviour to retrieve the dragon egg in the First Task . . .

She loathed that thought almost as much as she loathed Igor Karkaroff.

New chapter that I'm rlly unhappy with bc it has basically no plot and pointless dialogue :') (swear I say that every chapter but pls try to ignore that I'm so judgemental of my writing lmao I'm sorry)

^ no seriously I'm suuuper critical of my writing lately like I'm never happy with it and I actually feel like it's going downhill aHH how fun :))))

Hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway, and hopefully they'll get better & more interesting when I actually have time to write (I finish college next week and don't have go back until September wooo) !!!

Comments and votes would be v much appreciated tysm xoxo