▬▬ two; the triwizard tournament.
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LAUREN WAS BAKING brownies while her mother was asleep on the couch. Apart from her snoring and the singing radio, it was very quiet. The sun outside was long gone and the wind made the treetops dance. She was softly humming with the beat of the small speaker and put the cookies in the oven, and almost at the same time as the oven door closed the front door opened. Her father's frustration could be sent even from the kitchen, but she just figured his favourite team lost.

Mrs Diggory shot up from the couch and saw her son's rather shaken expression, "what happened?" She gasped and took him in her arms. Lauren joined them and got a hug from her father before she turned to stand with her brother while he sighed and explained what had happened.

"Death eaters made an attack. I'm sure nobody got seriously hurt," Mr Diggory said and squeezed Cedric's shoulder. Lauren tensed up a bit at the thought, she also knew that her three best friends had been attending the game and she desperately prayed they were okay. 

"You alright?" Lauren asked and looked at her brother.

He nodded and started taking off his shoes. "Such a shame though, they ruined the party."

"I told you it wouldn't be fun, you should've stayed here with us," Lauren pointed out before retreating to save her bakery.

"Next time, I might just go by your instincts, sweetie," he spoke. Then, her mother went back to sleeping, her father followed the news on the radio, and the two siblings went up to do the last prepares for the school start.

—

It had become a lovely routine by now. First September each year she followed her brother to King's Cross Station, waved her father goodbye and took a seat next to her three best friends while her two-year-older brother would continue his way further back in the train in search for his own friends.

"So, Dad and Ced told me about the World Cup. . . Are you guys okay?" She asked as the train started moving.

"I can't believe you didn't wanna come with us. . ." Ron mumbled quietly.

"We're alright," Harry spoke, but his blank face staring out the window told her otherwise. He was just like her, always trying to ignore any kind of problems.

"No, we're not. This is horrible. How can the Ministry not know who conjured it? Wasn't there any security?" Hermione said.

"Loads, according to Dad," Ron said while stuffing his mouth with chocolate candy. "That's what worried them so much, happened right under their noses."

"It's hurting again, isn't it? Your scar." Lauren looked up and saw Hermione frowning at the Potter boy, who was massaging his forehead.

"I'm fine," he stopped and placed his hand in his lap again, giving her a weak smile.

"You know Sirius will want to hear about this. . . The World Cup and the dream—"

"What dream? How come I don't get updated about this kinda' stuff," Lauren interrupted.

"Well, uh, because you weren't there." Harry didn't even look at her while speaking, so she glanced at Hermione, asking for an explanation.

"So this all happened yesterday. . . ?" The Diggory girl questioned.

"No, you had that dream for a while during the summer. Right, Harry?" Ron said while stuffing his mouth full of candy, and the girl next to him gave him a death glare and a punch in the side. "What? Oh. . ." Then he realized, his mouth forming to an 'O' and turning to Harry, "sorry, mate."

"You could've sent Hedwig or something. Come on, guys! Harry, why didn't you tell me?" He remained silent and stared down at the floor, then looking at Hermione for help. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, he's—"

"Hermione! Shut it." Harry stared at her, but she shook her head.

"Well, just tell her the truth, Harry. She won't get mad." Lauren watches the two continue arguing, sitting confused and upset and not understanding what this all was about.

"He is worried about you!" Ron blurted out and the two arguing teenagers fell silent and gave the Weasley boy a serious look of anger, and then they turned to Lauren. She crossed her arms and frowned her eyebrows.

"And why is that?"

Harry slowly turned his head, looking at Ron once again who mouthed 'sorry'. "You're a dead man, Ronald." The red-head boy ran out of the compartment and Harry got up and ran after him, leaving Hermione anxious and nervous with an upset girl.

"Hermione, why is he worried about me? If this has to do with my parents, then I'm totally fine."

"Your parents?" Lauren suddenly realized; Hermione didn't know about her parents' situation. Nobody did (except her brother). "What's wrong with them?"

"Don't change the subject! Answer my question, why is he worried about me?"

"Now you're changing the subject!" Hermione said defensive. Just as Lauren was about to come with an excuse, the boys came back. Harry had a frustrated look on his face while Ron was all pale and nervously sat down, looking anxiously between the other three.

"Not. A single. Word," Lauren stated determined and looked at Hermione who sighed,

"Fine. But this is not over, you'll tell me later."

"Tell her what?" Harry interrupted. "If I'm gonna tell you, you're telling me whatever you two were talking about."

"No one says a word until we're at Hogwarts. The one that speaks, get thrown out of the train. . . I'm not even joking." For the first time, she was hit by her sleepless nights during the break, and fell asleep against the window with her legs in Harry's lap—but he really didn't mind it at all.

—

Lighted candles were flying above them where they sat in the Great Hall. Everyone was making small talk, whispering and updating each other about how their summers have been. Lauren laughed with the Weasley twins as they informed her about their new ideas for pranks, and also weird facts about their professors. When Albus Dumbledore stepped forward, however, she fell silent, as did the others. And she looked at him as she always has; in awe.

"Well, now that we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year. . ." As he spoke, Argus Filch came through the big wooden doors and ran (in his extremely weird way) past their tables towards Dumbledore. ". . .but home to some very special guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen. . . Yes, what is it?" Dumbledore asked, rather frustrated when Filch finally reached him.

"What is it?" He asked again, quietly, as Filch seemed to be stuttering. He then whispered something, pointing towards the door which Dumbledore responded with, "tell them to wait."

"Tell them to wait," he repeated as he pushed Filch to go back to his previous spot outside the doors. "So Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament." A wave of whisper swept through the room. "For those who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete. Now, let me be clear—if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when l say these contests are not for the faint-hearted. But more of that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their headmistress, Madame Maxime."

The big doors went open and girls dressed in blue silk dresses with matching hats appeared. Their hair was in smooth low ponytails, and their heels echoed as they walked forward through the hall.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered and watched them in awe. Lauren, who sat beside him, pushed his side to snap him out of his daydreams.

They walked with elegant steps and big smiles, bowing and sighing with a glade tone before loads of blue butterflies filled the air around them. When the group of ladies, in blue clothing, had lined up perfectly just before the steps to the High Table another girl in the same blue clothing danced and besides her an acrobat in white and red, and besides them walked the tallest woman Lauren (and all the other students) had ever seen. She's taller then Hagrid.

Dumbledore kissed her hand before jumping back to his spot before the table. "And now our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang, and their high master, Igor Karkaroff."

A group of elder boys (most of them with not much hair on their head or a hat). They were dressed in brown thick clothes made for cold climate. Each one had a stick that they forcefully slammed into the ground by each step, small fire sparks formed by the touch and they left black burn marks on the stone floor.

They did some sort of dance, a little bit intimidating thought Lauren, before dropping the sticks and sprinting to the end of the hall—doing flips, back-flips, and other show-off moves and then lined up before the table as the girls had done (who know had spread out around different tables).

Last of all, a younger man dressed as the others walked with certain steps followed by an old man with a black beard and dressed in white, warm clothing.

"Ah, it's him," Ron whispered with wide eyes. "It's Krum." Lauren remembered the boys talking about him a lot, apparently, this Krum was a famous Quidditch player.

One of the students blew in something (it was hard to see) and a bird of fire flew around him before turning to ashes. Dumbledore greeted the man dressed in white, Igor Karkaroff with a hug and Hogwarts students cheered for the performance.

—

The corridors had been crowded with lost students trying to get settled in or teens running around to find their friends so they could catch up after the long summer break. However, now the tall roofed corridors were completely empty.

Lauren was a social person, she loved hanging out with people and definitely her Gryffindor friends—but since the summers nightmares and family problems she just wanted to be alone. And also, hanging out with her three best friends would only involve them trying to get details about her summer, her parents and she'd accidentally tell them about her nightmares and they would have to accept that this year would be just as confusing and scary as the previous ones.

So, sitting alone in the window in the lonely corridor, with a view over the stars reflecting in the lake, sounded much more pleasant. And for a few moments, it was—just sketching the beautiful view down in her thick book with a blue leather cover. But it didn't last long before a peal of scornful laughter filled the silent air. She ignored it and kept drawing while she heard someone sit down on the windowsill next to hers, it was only a pillar between them so she could hear the sound of him eating.

"Writing a diary? What a nerd you are," he teased. She sighed loudly and closed her book, starting to walk away.

"No, I was drawing, peacefully. . . until you showed up."

"Oh, come on. You don't have to be mean now, nobody's around," he chuckled and she turned around, smiling at the blonde boy eating his green apple with a smirk on his lips.

"You started it."

"Fine, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," she said and turned around and began walking again.

"Hey, where you going?" He sat up straight, a little desperate for her to stay.

"I'm gonna go to bed, if a professor finds us out here right now we're dead." She stopped once again and turned around to stare at her good friend, her very secret friend. "And if another student founds us our secret friendship is ruined."

"Would that be so bad then?" He jumped down to his feet and walked up to her side, so they now walked slowly together towards their different common rooms.

"Yeah, it's more fun sneaking around like this," she giggled.

"I agree," he smiled and took another bite of his apple. "So. . . can I see your work of art?"

"Nope," she said and hugged her book tightly. "I'll write in my testament that when I die you can get this book."

"Please, let me see it now."

"No!"

"Fine, you're so stubborn," he groaned and she just smiled.

"Yeah, well, that's one thing I know that you like about me."

"True. . ."

They stood in front of the stairs and were supposed to head separate ways even if either of them really wanted to.

"Go back to your poor Gryffindor friends, Diggory. I hope the rats claw on you all," Malfoy spat as he threw the rest of his apple right on the floor. Knowing this part of their friendship well, Lauren stepped onto one of the moving stairs and shouted as it moved away from him,

"Night, Malfoy. Bet it's all your nightmares that made you so pale." They shared a quick smile and he sent her a wink before he quickly made his way back to his house. Other students around them had been quietly watching the two afraid that it would escalate into an argument which was very common between Slytherin and Gryffindor by now.

▬▬ author's note ▬▬

Second chapter. What's this now? Draco and Lauren's secret friendship?
Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far, I'm once again: very excited about this book and I really hope y'all are too!

[ last updated: 22/11/20]
Stay tuned, thank you! <3