Something had changed between Aurora and Cedric the day of their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Blanca and Adam noticed it too. The two kept stealing glances at each other when they thought no one was looking, and every time their fingers so much as brushed they would jump like they had been electrocuted. Everyone noticed it. Everyone except Aurora and Cedric themselves.
It was Tuesday, and Blanca and Aurora were making their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. As they entered the room people started whispering and giggling. The two girls looked at each other in confusion. Aurora then spotted Harry at the Gryffindor table with Hermione. He was glaring fiercely at the Daily Prophet, in his hands, and his face was flushed with anger.
"Arrivo tra un minuto". (I'll be over in a minute.) she called to Blanca who was making her way over to where Cedric, Adam, Fleur, Viktor and Dante were sat. Aurora however walked towards the Gryffindor table instead. Hermione looked up as she spotted the girl approaching. Harry kept his head down.
"Hey 'Mione, Harry." she greeted. They mumbled 'hello's' in reply as she sat down. "What's up with you?" she asked Harry. He wordlessly handed her the Daily Prophet.
On the front cover was an article about Harry. Rita Skeeter had completely twisted the boy's words. She had no doubt made up everything in the article.
"I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now... yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it... I know nothing will hurt me in the Tournament, because they're watching over me..."
Aurora grimaced. She knew for a fact that Harry would never have said any of those things. But Rita Skeeter took it it even further.
"Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school."
Hermione and Harry watched as the girl's nose scrunched up in distaste.
"It gets worse." Harry grumbled. Aurora looked at him apprehensively before turning the page. Her name was mentioned at the top in cursive lettering. It said:
"Aurora Black, another stunningly pretty girl of sixteen, is one of the two Beauxbatons champions competing in the Triwizard Tournament. At her school, she is top of the class in all her subjects and has a very impressive list of extra-curricular activities including ballet and gymnastics. So it is unsurprising that, with her also being part Veela, she has been receiving a lot of male attention as of late. A close friend of hers, a fourth year Slytherin by the name of Pansy Parkinson says, 'she constantly has a trail of boys following her around.' It is unclear whether Aurora is romantically attached to anyone, but it is only a matter of time."
Aurora slammed the paper down on the table in anger, making a few people around her jump. She was furious. Not only was Rita Skeeter violating her privacy, but she was also making it seem like she was nothing more than a pretty face. The whole point of the Tournament was to show people that she was a worthy contender, and this reporter was making her seem like some kind of air headed giggling schoolgirl. Not to mention her facts were wrong. Aurora didn't have an ounce of Veela blood in her!
Grabbing her wand, the girl pointed it at the scrunched up ball of newspaper. "Incendio." she muttered, and it burst into flames.
"I told you she'd burn it." Dante's voice came from behind her. Aurora turned to see Cedric, Blanca, Adam, Fleur and Viktor stood on either side of her brother. She sighed as they all took a seat at the Gryffindor table.
"She didn't even mention you." Aurora muttered angrily to Dante as he tucked into some pancakes. Her brother simply shrugged.
"I don't mind not being the centre of attention. Cedric didn't get a mention either." Aurora glanced at the Hufflepuff boy. He looked unperturbed.
"Well for once I don't want to be the centre of attention." she groaned as a Slytherin boy shouted something very inappropriate at her. Cedric was about to insult him, but someone else beat him to it.
"Oi, Pucey! That's my cousin! Watch your mouth!" Draco shouted at the Slytherin boy as he was making his way to the Gryffindor table.
"Thank you, cousin." Aurora smiled gratefully at him as he reached the group.
"Anytime, Rora." he smiled slightly but his expression turned icy when he locked eyes with Harry.
"Mind if I sit, Potter? Or are you too high and mighty to be seen with a Slytherin like me?"
Aurora rolled her eyes at her cousin. "Be nice, Draco."
The blonde boy scowled, but he sat down nevertheless.
"Why do you look so glum?" he asked his cousin. Cedric handed him his copy of the Daily Prophet. After reading the article about Aurora, the blonde boy scoffed in disbelief.
"This woman is ridiculous! Who does she think she is? Your personal life is non of her business. And there isn't even a mention of Dante anywhere! He's as much of a champion as you are!" He said angrily.
"She's done it to Harry too." Blanca spoke up. Draco glared at the dark haired boy across from him, who was still hiding his face as if thinking no one would notice him.
"And I bet you're loving the attention aren't you Potter?" he spoke bitterly. Harry finally looked up, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Shut up Malfoy. You're pathetic." he hissed and Draco's face flushed red in anger. He opened his mouth to reply with some sort of cutting remark, but Aurora interrupted him.
"Boys! Is it impossible for you two to tolerate each other for five minutes?" the two were still glaring at each other as the older girl finished speaking.
"Yes." they replied in unison, and Aurora rolled her eyes. Draco began to stand up from his seat.
"Well cousins, I wish I could stay longer," he addressed the Black twins, "but I promised Ariadne I would meet her in the Library." with one last glare in Harry's direction, he abruptly turned on his heel and stormed out of the Great Hall. The group sat on the Gryffindor table watched him leave in silence. It was a moment before Adam finally spoke up.
"I can't believe you two are related to that." This caused Harry and Hermione to snigger slightly, but the twins simply rolled their eyes.
"So, he can be a bit of a git sometimes-" Dante was cut off by Adam's snort of amusement.
"A bit." he said sarcastically. The older twin ignored him.
"But he really isn't that bad once you get to know him." he finished and Aurora and Fleur nodded in agreement.
"Oui. 'E came to visit my family over ze 'olidays a few years ago, and 'e was very kind to my little sister, Gabrielle. 'E acts very differently 'ere though." the French girl spoke, making everyone turn to look at her. Harry sighed in defeat.
"Fine. I'll try and make more of an effort with him. But he has to do the same as well." the boy spoke stubbornly. Aurora and Dante grimaced. Their cousin would not agree to that easily.
"We can't guarantee that." they spoke sheepishly. Hermione arched an eyebrow at her friends.
"Draco is very stubborn." the younger twin began to explain. "He has it out for Harry, for whatever reason. He won't be very easy to convince." Harry groaned in frustration before speaking.
"I don't know what I've ever done to him." the dark haired boy put his head in his hands again.
"Draco holds grudges. Don't take it personally." Aurora shrugged dismissively. Taking the hint that she did not want to continue with the conversation, the others began to chatter amongst themselves.
Adam and Blanca were conversing animatedly with each other. Whatever the Hufflepuff was saying must have been extremely funny, as the Italian girl was giggling rather loudly. She slapped him playfully on the chest, causing him to turn red. Aurora smirked to herself. People were often drawn to Blanca. She had an aura of self confidence which people, more specifically of the male variety, found very alluring.
Fleur was complimenting Hermione on her curly hair. The younger girl seemed embarrassed as Fleur said, "I 'ave always wanted 'air like yours. It 'as so much volume! Mine is just flat." the Gryffindor blushed profusely as the French girl twirled a piece of her auburn hair in her finger. Aurora noticed that Viktor was watching Hermione as she giggled slightly at Fleur's enthusiastic nature. She had often caught him staring at the younger girl from across the room. Aurora found it quite amusing.
Finally, Harry and Cedric were discussing something in hushed tones. They were speaking quietly enough that she could only make out a few words. She heard the phrase, "The First Task" and "Hagrid" but that was it. The two boys noticed her watching them curiously, and abruptly stopped speaking. Aurora arched an eyebrow at them.
"Anything you'd like to share, boys?" she spoke in a slightly amused tone. They looked at each other uneasily. The two seemed to have a conversation with their facial expressions, and Aurora had to hold back a snigger that threatened to escape. Finally, Cedric nodded his head and Harry turned back to the girl. He spoke very quietly.
"Hagrid has told me to meet him in the Forbidden Forest at midnight tonight." he looked around uneasily before continuing, "and he said it has something to do with the first task." Aurora's eyes widened.
"You're going right?" she asked the boy, who gave a small nod.
"He seemed worried. Like really worried. I think he knows what the task is, and by the look of it, it's not anything good." Harry gulped. "I'll find out what it is tonight, and then I'll tell you all. It's only fair. I don't want to be going in with an advantage." Aurora nodded, admiring his selflessness. It must be quite daunting for him, she thought, to be competing against older, more experienced students who had mastered spells he could never hope to perform. The girl suddenly felt very concerned for him. Aurora hoped upon hope that the task was not too dangerous. Harry was her family now, and she couldn't bear to lose him.