Hi again! So here's part two - a day late but I tacked on an extra two thousand words so I don't feel guilty. I severely underestimated how much editing this needed - I basically rewrote most of it and I'll probably still need to go over it again but I wanted to get this out tonight (or this morning if you consider the fact that it is 2 am).

As a side note, it's always bemusing to see hundreds of visitors have read my chapter but only a tiny fraction have reviewed. So thank you fellow Rigel fans that have reviewed - you kept me editing when it seemed the mistakes would never end - I hope some of your questions are answered by the second half of the piece.

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Chapter 4ii – Duels, Dances and Deceit

In which Julian has a weird dream, Severus is cursed with a multitude of Potters and Aldon indulges in dramatics.

Julian Whitehorn cursed his luck for the hundredth time. Of all the stupid ways to miss the tournament, getting stuck in the Hospital Wing re-growing fingers was the worst. It wasn't even his fault the spell he had tested on himself had gone wrong – he should have known better than to trust any book that came from the Weasley twins.

He vaguely registered the general hubbub as another student was admitted into the Hospital Wing and placed in the bed next to him. Through the confusion caused by the pain relief potion he realised it must be one of the champions. He couldn't understand why there were so many shouting adults in the Infirmary though.

He smiled sleepily as he heard Madam Pomfrey's dulcet tones.

"I don't care if it's Grindelwald himself, you'll all get out of my Hospital Wing and question the poor girl tomorrow, once she is well enough to do so!"

Things seemed to quiet down after that and Julian grimaced through two other potions before Madam Pomfrey went to bed for the night. He slept between fits of wakefulness and pain as his fingers began to regrow.

When he sleepily blinked his eyes open once again he wasn't quite sure what had woken him up. It was still dark and his hands no longer radiated pain. Then he heard the hushed whispers.

"… Harry you need to wake up… Harry!"

"Arch, what – what's happening – wait – the water."

"I know you're confused right now, but I really need you to get out of bed and to your dorm. I need you to be Rigel again."

"W-what?"

There was a noise of impatience and Julian dreamily wondered if the potions had unlocked the voices in his head.

"Look Harry! Look."

"What, my face – what happened- oh no, they saw. Archie, they must have seen!"

"I know, look I have a plan, don't worry. Can you hold a glamour to look like Rigel at the moment? No wait, never mind, you must be drained. I'll do it. Look, I know you're confused, but I can't go back to the dorm room with you. Can you walk there on your own? I need to be Harry for this to work."

"Y-yes, I think, I think I can stand. But Archie how-"

"Look, it's nearly dawn and that Healer will be out any moment, just trust me. Oh and I need a thimbleful of your magic - do you think it would accept to be transferred? I don't think I'll be able to recreate your eyes otherwise."

There was some more shuffling and breathing and Julian waited to see if the voices would say anything more interesting but all was silent.

By morning, he vaguely remembered echoing voices and names. Those pain relief potions had quite a big side effect he thought to himself and smiled dopily at the Healer. Julian wondered if she would give him another dose. He was curious to hear if the voices' plan had worked.

---

Her eyes blinked blearily open and Severus had to stop himself from flinching at that colour.

He remembered them as a pale imitation of Lily's eyes, a common form of green.

Harriet Potter's eyes were now brighter than Lily's had ever been.

Two of the judges had cried impostor before all of the children had even been fished out of the lake but Severus had scoffed at their foolishness. The girl may look different but the resemblance to her mother was stronger than it had ever been.

The question was why and how she had lived under a false face for at least the last few years if her parents reaction was to be believed. He needed more information before he could determine whether the physical changes were somehow unintentional or if she had a ridiculous reason for it like she did for hiding her levels of magic. One thing was certain, she would have gone on looking like an eerie Rigel doppelgänger for much longer if Hogwarts' idiot of a champion hadn't used alchemy he hadn't thought through properly.

He remembered with crystal clarity how his heart had dropped alongside his falling apprentice.

For the second time that year he had suffered a reality where he had lost Rigel to death. It had hurt just as much as the first time.

He wished Albright had been disqualified before he hurt anyone else but instead, the moronic judges had awarded him points for the alchemy he had used. He was now neck to neck with Harriet while Krum had taken third place and Delacour trailed last. His more cynical self wondered about the consequences if it had been a half blood girl that had nearly killed four purebloods.

In any case, if he had harboured any further doubts about Harriet Potter faking her aura after their Summer of potion making together, they had vanished.

Albus hadn't deconstructed the unstable array yet, but he had told him it had indeed been a powerful bit of Faustian alchemy. As long as it remained active it sucked all enchantments, spells and magic in the diameter calculated.

That was the reason all three children over the lake had not swam to safety once in the water – they had all been rendered unconscious by the array as it had extracted most of their magic in the few seconds before they'd been protected by Harriet Potter. The girl had not only stopped their free fall but also then brought them down slowly. She must have continuously sacrificed her magic at an absurd rate for her spells to have worked over the lake while the array was active. When she had fallen to her knees and disturbed the rune, the array had then viciously turned against her. She had only survived because of Rigel's immediate healing and the fact that Albright had managed to stabilise the array with additional runes soon after.

Even then, her magical core had suffered to such a degree that Poppy had needed his potions expertise to wake her up. She feared the girl would wake up and then immediately fall into cardiac arrest because of the effect of drained magic on under aged witches.

Of course, the Headmaster had chosen that exact moment to appear with the girl's parents and Crouch Sr.. He had given Albus a dark look full of promised retribution – Couldn't the interfering man have given him five minutes to help wake the girl up? He could have ensured she was on the road to recovery and been back in his office answering Rigel's frantic questions before James bloody Potter set foot in the Hospital Wing.

No, instead he had to waste energy pointedly overlooking the frantic questions and Albus' pretentious words of wisdom while he fed the girl another stabilising potion to help renew her magical core.

It seemed horrible timing was inheritable as the girl chose that very moment to spear him with those searing eyes.

"Prf'ssor Snape?" She asked with a cracked voice, confused. "Mum, dad? W-what's going on?"

Severus ignored Lily's sob of relief as she hugged her daughter and how Potter's whole body seemed to relax – there had been a chance she wouldn't survive the shock to her core without permanent side effects.

He could still believe Potter to be an insufferable git, yet after seeing his face yesterday as he rushed to his daughter, Snape could not doubt he did indeed love his daughter. The Howler he had sent was likely one of his first impulse reactions instead of anything more serious. He really needed to stop overlapping Rigel's strange behaviour with his father and Harriet's reactions to hers, he mused. He also firmly denied any personal relief he felt that Harriet Potter sounded lucid. She was going to be a great asset to the potions community, that was all.

"Miss Potter, do you remember yesterday's events?" The headmaster asked mildly.

"We first have to ascertain that is indeed Miss Potter Headmaster," Crouch Sr. interjected.

"What do you mean - of course I'm Harry Potter," the girl frowned, her face a perfect mask of confusion. She looked the picture of innocence but Snape could not trust himself to be objective when she looked at him with those features.

She had by no means looked masculine before, but the resemblance to Rigel had been striking. It had been easier to dissociate her from her father when she looked so much like his apprentice. But that was no longer the case. Her eyes, the delicate curve of her jaw, the cheekbones, even the lips she was currently biting worriedly had all altered enough for her to look significantly different as a whole. Her parents however, seemed more worried than disbelieving.

"Prongslet, you look a bit different…" Potter finally said as he ruffled his hair in that insufferable way of his.

She looked from one face to another, eyes asking the question her mouth wasn't.

"Here," Lily said softly and handed her a mirror she had just conjured with her wand while the other hand still smoothed Harriet's short messy hair down.

He watched in silence as Harriet raised a hand to her cheek and traced her cheekbone, eyes wide.

"It seems your eyes never did dampen in colour," Lily added sadly.

"Th-this isn't funny. What kind of Polyjuice potion is this?" Harriet asked.

"This is indeed not a joke Miss Potter. Impersonation is a serious crime, especially in such a tournament."

"Mr Crouch, it is very unlikely this isn't Miss Potter. I think we are more interested in explaining why the alchemical array had such an effect," Poppy said in a disapproving manner.

"Nevertheless –"

"Oh shut up Crouch, you think I wouldn't know my own daughter?" Potter snapped and if Severus hadn't been looking at Harriet at that very moment he would have missed the fleeting guilt that shadowed her face.

"James," Lily placed a hand on his arm, "Mr Crouch, I understand this is your job so, if it reassures you…" She turned to her daughter, "Sweetheart, can you tell me when and why you were grounded for the first time in your life?"

Harriet replied deadpan, "It was during the summer holidays in second year. Dad over reacted when he caught me sneaking back from Diagon Alley after midnight and he grounded me because of the attacks that had occurred in the same night. Sirius still says that's the night dad reached middle age."

James rubbed his eyes under his glasses, "That's my daughter all right. And I wasn't over reacting Harry, there were multiple deaths that night dangerously close to Diagon Alley."

Crouch Sr. nodded, "Very well, I shall report to the judges. Please let me know when a medical explanation has been found for the changes. In the meantime, I wish you a full recovery before the second task Miss Potter." With a general nod, the self-important man left.

Now if only his own curiosity didn't prevent him from doing the same thing and leaving.

Harriet still had a look of bewilderment as she examined her face in the mirror.

"So the theory is that I really look like this? And my appearance for the first fourteen years of my life was what, a maleficent curse? A glamour?"

"I am glad you have recovered a sense of humour Miss Potter," Albus smiled gently but Severus couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious. She seemed to be taking the changes well remarkably quickly. He immediately dismissed the thought; Severus did not know her well enough to conjecture her general reaction to shocking things. Teaching Rigel over the years, he knew he probably should learn to adjust his expectations of normal for her too.

"I cannot speak for maleficent curses but it would have been impossible for you or someone else to maintain a glamour for so long so perfectly and there are obvious limitations to Polyjuice potions," he quipped dryly.

"Not to mention the fact that you have grown up with every year, your features have not been fixed dear," Lily mused.

There was a quiet moment of reflection before the Infirmary doors banged open.

"James! Lily! I came as soon as I heard!"

Snape grinded his teeth as Black invaded the infirmary. It did not escape his notice how Harriet Potter's face just lit up.

"Sirius!"

"Hey kiddo," Black leaned forward as he hugged the girl and ruffled her hair, "Didn't we tell you not to stay in the basement brewing potions for so long?"

Harriet rolled her eyes, "You don't actually think potions caused this." She frowned, "You actually don't look as surprised as mum or dad either Uncle Sirius – any ideas why I look different?"

Black finally noticed him and seemed about to make a comment - Severus would have enjoyed expending his frustration by cutting Black down - but the man glanced at Harriet and decided differently. Severus nearly felt insulted he couldn't indulge in the relief of insults even though he knew Black had only avoided rudeness for his niece's sake.

"I spoke to Archie already – you should probably reassure him soon Prongslet, he looks sick with worry - and it reminded me of the reason we originally came up with, y'know, for why you both look so similar."

Potter seemed to understand where he was going with this. Severus remembered how those two had looked like they could read each other's thoughts when they were pranking or bullying students in their path.

"But the Potter bloodline-"

"It makes sense James, it's the only thing that makes any sense."

Snape was too proud to ever ask those two to explain themselves but thankfully for his dwindling patience, Harriet did, "Uncle Sirius, Dad, what is it? I'm not proficient in mind reading yet."

Sirius sat on Harriet's bed, eyes serious. "I'm sure Archie's already told you about the conversation we had a while ago – the one about your identical features."

She hummed, "Yes, Archie told me you thought he was an unconscious Metamorph. I mean, we tried to find evidence of it using tricks and spells but nothing ever happened."

"Yeah well, I don't expect anything did. I think I was partly wrong - I think I spoke to the wrong child that day."

"What," Lily said sharply.

"You think I'm a Metamorphmagus?" Harriet wrinkled her nose, "But that doesn't make any sense."

Snape could agree with the sentiment, but the theory did elucidate a few mysteries all while creating certain others. But that was par for the course when it came to Rigel Black and Harriet Potter it seemed. He felt vaguely pleased their parents seemed just as perplexed by them.

Black continued, "I should have realised before, but it isn't until I saw you now that I understood - you were the one that looked more like Archie - like a Black - than the other way round."

"But Sirius, there aren't any Metamorphs in the Potter line," Potter said dubiously even as he traced his daughter's features once again.

"Do you have a better explanation? I mean, just look at her," Black said as he waved a careless hand around, "Look how different she looks to my son now. Just after she lost so much magic she wouldn't have been able to keep any up, even unconsciously used magic."

Snape had to admit the more he thought about it, the more plausible the explanation. At least, as plausible as an undiscovered unconscious Metamorphmagus in the Potter line could be.

"So… I'm going to stay like this? This is what I really look like?" Harriet asked quietly.

The adults focused back on her.

Albus said, "I think we would need to confirm that you are indeed a Metamorphmagus but considering the purpose of that ill-conceived array, this is likely to be your true form. Turning to him, Albus continued, "Severus, if I am not very much mistaken, there is a spell in the Prince library to check for the presence of Metamorphs in the immediate surroundings."

Snape glared as every pair of eyes turned towards him. No doubt they had completely forgotten his presence. He had to work to avoid meeting Lily's gaze.

He glanced quickly at Potter, "It is… a dark spell Albus, as you very well know."

"But it is not malevolent magic, there is nothing inherently harmful to the spell. I am sure everyone here would agree it would be best to eliminate doubt."

Snape stared at all three parents but despite the spots of colour in Potter's cheeks, they did not protest. He turned to Harriet and said dryly, "The spell should turn red if you are indeed a Metamorph, no matter how weak of a one you are."

She nodded, eyes annoyingly calm as he raised his wand and incanted, "Metamorphum Magnus Revelio!" Black smoke curled out of his wand and a strong wind blew around the infirmary. He had forgotten how draining of a spell it was but he kept it going until he felt it complete.

The smoke moved as if it followed an invisible stream as it winded between the adults and then coagulated around the girl, the colour changing to a deep crimson red.

Snape let the spell go and Albus smiled, "Well it seems we have solved the mystery."

Harriet poked at the wafting smoke and asked, "Headmaster, am I going to change faces without any control again?"

Albus smiled, eyes doing that damn twinkling thing of his, "I cannot talk about the mysteries of inherited abilities. You seemed to have unconsciously assimilated your cousin's features for at least the last few years. I cannot tell how long that has gone on. You appear to have a familiarity with alchemy; perhaps I could teach you a simple array that would allow you to return to baseline, so to speak, in a safer manner."

Harriet blushed and scratched her head sheepishly, "Ah yes, Rigel taught me from his own lessons. I do hope it isn't a problem. I should have asked, I know - we're just used to sharing our lessons. But I would really enjoy learning that array."

Snape noted the way Lily's face showed rueful amusement. So apparently this sharing of knowledge didn't surprise them. He doubted though, that even they had the full picture.

"Far be it from me to stop an enthusiastic student," Albus smiled. "Now, if you are well enough, I would encourage you to find your cousin. I believe the Gryffindor Head boy found him wandering around at night, no doubt trying to sneak in to see you, so it may help curb his rule breaking if he finds you recovered."

Snape left soon after, only more intrigued by the mystery that connected Rigel Black and Harriet Potter.

A Parseltongue Black and a Metamorphmagus Potter? Would wonders ever cease?

He sighed irritably; he knew Lord Riddle would expect a letter from him detailing the events- even though his Lord probably had multiple accounts already on his desk.

---

Aldon had known Rigel had once again barely survived something dangerous when he emerged from the Hospital Wing looking like a ghost. He didn't make the mistake of asking about Pettigrew's death or try to bypass the ferocious bodyguard Draco made. But there had been much that didn't add up – as most things related to Rigel Black.

The fragility, the dramatic loss of weight, even the protracted silences to his teasing had worried Aldon. He had only started to piece things together with Edmund after his best friend overheard his father talking to Lord Riddle during the Summer.

About two weeks of time and a time turner.

That would explain the weight loss, Aldon had mused. Edmund had been more worried about the fact that Lord Riddle cared enough to question an Unspeakable about Rigel Black. Pressing Unspeakables into revealing confidential secrets was a dangerous exercise due to the magic that bound them to their work.

Aldon returned to Hogwarts with half formed ideas about what the year would bring. He had been relieved to see Rigel come back with cheekbones no longer so prominent and the shadows under his eyes all but disappeared. Wherever he had gone during his internship in South America, it had helped. He had also sported a light tan, slightly longer hair and his eyes had smiled when his mouth did.

Reassured, Aldon looked forward to a year of mayhem. Only Edmund knew he would not, in fact, put him name in the Goblet of Fire as his father expected. For one thing, he was far too lazy. For a second, it would be a cold day in hell before he would join a death-defying tournament for the honour of his family. He hadn't managed to convince Edmund to avoid it though and despite his reservations about the tournament, he knew his friend would make a fine champion.

But Aldon had not expected Harriet Potter at Hogwarts.

He knew how close the cousins were so Rigel's assurances she would not be attending had removed all thoughts about her from his head. He had heard rumours that the AIM invitation was just a way to rub Britain's superiority in the Americans' faces. In any case, he wasn't particularly interested in having anything to do with the whole scheme.

He therefore nearly dropped his fork when he spied the unassuming Harriet Potter half hidden between the gaping students.

"Didn't you say your cousin wasn't coming to Hogwarts, Rigel?" he drawled and had the satisfaction of seeing the guarded boy show naked surprise, which cycled through panic and worry a second later. Rigel then proceeded to entertainingly stew over his emotions until dessert before he vanished to his cousin's side, face so painfully expressionless it said just as much.

As was often the case this year, he found himself hanging around the younger fourth years in the common room. Rigel immediately made his way to them when he returned and then proceeded to pretend nothing unusual had occurred. It was Pansy that delicately broached the subject after she exchanged a series of looks with Draco in one of their silent conversations.

"How was your cousin Rigel?" she said.

Rigel startled from the book he was definitely not reading. "She's fine," he said with a painfully polite smile. He then saw Pansy's raised eyebrow and caved like wet tissue. That girl could become a formidable politician.

"Sorry Pansy, I just didn't expect her here," he sighed, rubbed a hand over his face in an uncharacteristic loss of composure and said, "There were politics involved at AIM and she only decided to come on the day of departure so she didn't have time to tell me in advance."

Edmund nodded thoughtfully, "Does this have anything to do with her being the Heir of House Potter? Is your cousin the only student there from British nobility?"

"I think so? I don't know why it matters anyways, she's a half-blood," he said dismissively.

"The Dean's name is Thomas Fuller. I checked the student records and he was a Hogwarts student," Zabini said in an implication-laden tone.

"But he's not a pureblood surely?" Nott said.

Aldon smiled, "You forget Hogwarts accepted half-bloods not that long ago. He would have been in one of the last groups allowed to go to school here."

Rigel shifted uncomfortably and Aldon could already predict the fourth-year would change the subject, "In any case, my cousin might leave once the champions are chosen, she has quite a charged syllabus this year and her focus is on her studies."

The matter seemed pointedly closed to discussion but Aldon could not help but wonder why Rigel was acting so cagey. Surely he appreciated having his childhood companion nearby?

He resolved to spend more time with Harriet call-me-Harry Potter in the coming weeks and perhaps get a few answers to his many and varied questions. It was indeed going to be an entertaining year.

Of course, that was before he realised Harry was avoiding all Hogwarts students and faculty like the plague. Rigel didn't seem worried but then again, he vanished from the face of the school at least once a week, most likely to rejoin his vanished cousin.

Things didn't improve with the selection ceremony. He was both mildly relieved Edmund's name hadn't come out and disappointed that Albright's had. The Slytherins shared some classes with the Ravenclaws and despite his talent, the boy was self-important and believed anyone dark or from Slytherin House was fated to turn into the next Grindelwald.

But the AIM champion had wiped out all thoughts of the newly minted Hogwarts champion out of his head. Aldon hadn't missed the look of doom exchanged between two cousins. Why would she enter if she looked so panicked at the thought? He couldn't quite believe Potter was that good of an actress but the alternative didn't make any sense. Could her name even come out if she had not entered it? Why would anyone even focus on this AIM student?

He remained unobtrusively by Rigel's side over the next few days but Harriet Potter remained as elusive ever.

"Does she need any help preparing?" He finally asked Rigel seriously. The vanishing game had gone on long enough and Harry Potter would need to take this tournament seriously if she was going to survive. Considering who she was up against she would need every bit of help she could get. "I'm willing to tutor her on my seven years of learnt spell-work."

He had reached the common room after he had interrogated the AIM students and three things had become clear to him. First, American education really was lacking in teaching anything other than guilelessness and idiocy. Second, Harriet had no allies in her own school. And third, Rigel really did seem too blasé considering the level of danger his pseudo-sibling would be exposed to.

Aldon could feel the fourth year Slytherins' surprise. He knew he portrayed the idle pureblood image quite well, had made it into an art form really. But he still felt slightly insulted they would feel surprised he would offer help to Rigel's half blood cousin. While he was primarily offering because of his affection for Rigel, there was enough to intrigue him in Harry for him to want to help her for her own sake.

Rigel blinked, "Ah, that's very kind of you Aldon, but my cousin has decided to train on her own."

Aldon didn't lower himself to asking twice after the gentle rebuff but he did find it very foolish of the chit. The first task would no doubt teach her a hard lesson in humility.

---

Only, if anyone was humbled during that first task, it was him.

Aldon had watched as Harry moved forward without flinching and defeated a series of creatures despite only killing the wounded Acromantula. He hadn't hidden his relief when she had answered the Sphinx correctly with that melancholic smile… a mask. It seemed the creature knew a thing or two about the askers.

But then he had watched as with barely a glance she deciphered the alchemy of an Albright – and he was going to interrogate Rigel about that - before the Hovercam captured the near death of the four young hostages in exquisite detail.

She might have saved four lives, but it was apparent her gaze had been trained on Rigel. Her hand had trembled but she had continued feeding her magic to that array to prevent his fall. Aldon still believed the engagement to be a sham after he had warned Rigel about the potential marriage policies - but their love for each other had been apparent in every line of their desperate faces.

The next morning, he had worriedly examined Rigel's exhausted appearance.

"Are you sure you weren't the one performing the task Rigel?" He teased.

The boy startled badly, "W-what?"

"Aldon's right, you look awful," Pansy said as she placed a proprietary hand on his forehead. "I heard from Edmund you were caught by Percy Weasley just wandering the castle after midnight."

Rigel deftly evaded her grasp, "I was just worried about Harry."

"But Professor Snape said it was only exhaustion after expending so much magic," Draco said, a hint of suspicion in his tone. Aldon felt he had missed something - Draco had been acting unusual all morning and had even asked him a half-aborted question about what he had seen at the end of the task. Aldon wondered if he had missed anything important between Harry being rendered unconscious and Rigel being ejected from the Infirmary. He had immediately scrambled down the stands to get more information about both fourth years' state of health after Rigel had reached the ground. He hadn't been permitted inside the Hospital Wing though and had accompanied a shaken Rigel back to the common room.

"Yeah, I talked to my dad this morning, she's going to be fine," Rigel said unconvincingly.

Aldon understood Draco's suspicions and Rigel's worry two hours later when Harry came looking for her cousin.

His breath caught in this throat.

Rigel had always been a handsome boy in the usual pureblood and high cheekbones kind of way. Harriet had always been an extension of her cousin to him, every characteristic that made her her an echo of her cousin. She had been pretty, in a boyish kind of way with those flyaway curls and curious expressions.

But she had not owned a pair of luminous green eyes that seemed to flay him alive and inexplicably know everything he ever was or could be. Her appearance had not otherwise changed dramatically, she still had that messy black hair and air of detachment. But there was a deeper sense of femininity, her eyes more angled, the tilt of her vulnerable mouth and even more delicate features.

She no longer looked like Rigel Black's twin.

The boy in question seemed to have taken the changes to his cousin with some alarm as he gave her quick tight hug.

"Looking good cousin," he said, then added in a tone that indicated an inside joke, "Finally got tired of looking like me?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Shut up, for once I'm not at fault."

Draco looked ready to burst, with eyes that tracked the changes in the girl with obsessive detail. He had to hand it to her, Harry ignored their rude stares with great aplomb.

Draco had been amusing to watch ever since Harry Potter's arrival. His possessive behaviour towards Rigel increased as he fought a war for his friend's attention, a war with a cousin that didn't seem interested in playing the same game. It wasn't a competition anyways. There was something so much deeper at play here, he could feel it in his bones.

Pansy cleared her throat and smiled politely but genuinely, "How are you feeling Harry?"

The girl sent an impish smile in return and a flicker of Aldon's attention noticed the curve of her bottom lip, fuller than before and which changed the angle of her smile.

"All recovered thanks to Master Snape and Madam Pomfrey."

That smile promised no answers and Aldon realised she was going to make them ask so he obliged her, "You seemed to have undergone quite a few changes overnight Harry."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Draco startle at his informal address and so did the girl. He wasn't sure why since she had been the one to ask him to call her so the night of the ball. Then again, this might be the first real sentence he addressed her with since she had arrived at Hogwarts and decided to exercise her powers of invisibility.

"Yes. Uncle Sirius and Master Snape discovered I'm an unconscious Metamorphmagus," she finally explained blithely. As if it was the norm to announce ancient magical abilities between breakfast and lunch. Harry did not even register their collective surprise, as she seemed intent on passing some kind of hidden layer of a meaning to her cousin as she continued, "Master Snape performed a spell to check and confirmed it. They think I looked so much like you because I subconsciously associated myself with you. But the alchemical array brought me back to my original appearance."

Rigel seemed unhappy about something but nodded slowly, "I guess Dad will stop teasing Uncle James about you being his kid."

The Slytherins within hearing distance from where they sat on the grounds – and there seemed to be quite an unusual number braving the brisk Autumn air - offered their congratulations. He could see quite a few seemed bemused such a gift – one only associated to the Blacks for hundreds of years – would appear in a light family, especially in an odd 'unconscious' form. By tonight he expected most of them would have written to their families about the rare gift now coursing through the Potter bloodline.

Aldon couldn't help but think he had been given a crucial part to the enigma that made Rigel and Harry who they were - and that he was just too stupid to put the pieces together.

That feeling reoccurred a few times over the next months, at least when he wasn't distracted by the fascinating picture the two made together. Harry – she still wrinkled her nose whenever someone used Harriet - had finally stopped vanishing into thin air when she wasn't in the Weasley twins presence.

(The twins had accosted them on that morning after the first task and bemoaned the fact that Rigel had lost his own twin but seemingly taking it all in stride rather well. They had then proceeded to kidnap Harry to 'interrogate the girl that had stolen Rigel's twin'. He couldn't help but notice how freely she laughed in the presence of the jokesters.)

Harry just seemed to fill a hole in their group that he hadn't even realised existed. Rigel was distinctive in his quietness and Harry wasn't a mirror image of him but she fitted seamlessly around him. He had been wrong before; they weren't echoes of each other but a bundle of contradicting and complimentary characteristics. Harry seemed to relax something in Rigel somehow. You could see the long years of companionship in the way they moved around each other.

Aldon had thought Rigel touch-starved before, some unconscious abuse in his father's care. Draco had dismissed his theory but the easy touches between them belied whatever Draco had warned him about. The way she would sprawl on her cousin and have him only raise his book to have it lie on her face. The way Rigel would grab his cousin's hand and drag her away. The mock disapproval, the looks, the whole silent language.

More than that, Aldon noticed quietly, she made Rigel laugh.

She seemed to drag him out his seriousness or moodiness with a careless tug of his hair. With another tug he would follow her to the Quidditch pitch.

And what a sight they were in the air. Aldon hadn't seen two players so in sync since the Weasley twins. The recklessness seemed to be an identical trait in both though. In one mock game they had organised with the Gryffindors, Harry had played seeker and she had jumped after the snitch leaving her broom behind while still sixty feet up in the air. He had had just enough time to have a heart attack and fumble for his wand from where he had been idly watching before she had landed behind her complaining cousin on his broom.

"You really have to stop doing that without warning me," was all Rigel had grumbled about after the match.

Aldon sometimes worried he was getting too intrigued, dare he say it, obsessed with those two.

But then he would glance at Draco and his poorly concealed jealousy and feel very sane and even-minded. The Malfoy scion wasn't dealing with the new intrusion as well as he pretended to be. But even he couldn't be sure whom exactly Draco was jealous over - he had noticed the intent gaze placed over Harry quite a few times.

There was irreverence in her and like he had noticed years ago in Rigel - he could see it in her eyes when he engaged her in conversation - his money, the power he would yield one day, none of it mattered to her. She dismissed the titles as easily as Draco's pointed comments.

Without even noticing the Slytherins had closed ranks around her. Aldon believed Harry had only allowed it to escape the attention of the nosy student body.

Those students vacillated between three groups.

The first group seemed to be her clueless school mates who had only just realised Harriet Potter was not, in fact, a boy. He didn't believe intelligence was associated to blood purity but facts like these did make him wonder. It also seemed to point to Harry being as painfully asocial as Rigel would have been had it not been for Draco and Pansy in their first year.

The second group of gossipers appeared to be harmless. Boys and girls who had most likely just noticed the AIM champion's unusually captivating looks and were interested in her for novelty's sake.

The third group, in which the majority of the Slytherins fell, were smart enough to realise the importance of her emerged ability. Especially the fact that it had appeared in the Potter bloodline. The Blacks had married into a few bloodlines but until now, the ability had never emerged in Britain in any other family than the Blacks. A Parselmouth Black officially engaged to a Metamorphing Potter – that was indeed newsworthy to the nobility.

Harry played a good game as she shadowed Rigel and only interacted with those closest to her cousin. A more easy-going Rigel of sorts. She was so good at it he was shocked into inaction when something did crack that perfect mask of hers. When he realised she just hid the enormous amount of stress she was under with a beautiful veneer of insouciance.

He had been on his way to breakfast with Edmund, passing through the courtyard as a short cut to the Great Hall when he came upon the altercation. He only needed a second to grasp the scenario. An angry Draco, worried Pansy and reluctant Rigel on one side. Albright on the other, along with his best friend Goldstein and a gaggle of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. There were bystanders too, both foreign and of Hogwarts but not a teacher in sight despite the fact that this seemed to have gone on for a while. At least long enough for Albright to have lost his usual famous cool around Slytherins. He shared a look with Edmund before they smoothly placed themselves behind the silver trio. He hoped none of the students would be stupid enough to start throwing around spells now that the fourth years weren't alone.

"I bet it must have hurt to have Harriet Potter show you up like that, besting you in everything from potions to being school champion," Albright spat out.

Aldon watched in amusement as Rigel frowned in puzzlement and stopped fighting against the arm Draco was holding hostage - which had no doubt prevented him from eclipsing away as he wanted to. "Why does everyone always try that insult?" Rigel said blankly.

Draco scoffed, "Because they would have felt diminished by brilliant relatives considering their own miserable levels of talent."

"Shut up Malfoy! What would you know about talent? You don't have anything but a dark family reputation to hold onto even as your line dwindles in ability with every generation."

Two spots of red appeared on Draco's cheeks and Aldon smirked. There were few things that would get Draco as angry as insulting his family and he would enjoy watching a Malfoy set down.

Unfortunately, Rigel did not share his amusement as he placed a calming hand on Draco's shoulder, half turning away from Albright. "Let's go Dray, they have strawberry tarts today and I have better things to do with my time than argue on so stupid a point."

Dismissing him was probably the worst thing Rigel could have done to the fuming Albright – however unintentional on Rigel's part. He was curious as to why Albright was revealing such animosity towards Rigel though. And he had no doubt it had been the Ravenclaw who had initiated the argument considering Rigel was the least confrontational person he'd ever met.

Edmund also seemed to have had enough as he said in the deepest of his intimidating voices, "Everything alright here? Shall we go to breakfast?"

Aldon nearly chuckled at the insult Edmund had, perhaps unknowingly, added to the injury. The three younger Slytherins had finally noticed them and Pansy flashed them a grateful smile. Rigel also seemed to have managed to convince Draco, or perhaps Draco had finally realised the insult of just leaving would be much more effective against this opponent. Either way, they turned around in the direction of the Great Hall.

Aldon smiled as he noticed Harry standing besides the courtyard's exit, eyes sharp and a book under her arm. No doubt she had been on her way to breakfast when the commotion began and she had noticed her cousin at the centre of it.

He raised a hand in greeting as Albright shouted behind them, "Yeah, go learn your dark magic in the Slytherin dungeons. With such scum as company, Potter must be glad she managed to avoid Hogwarts. At least in America she can pretend she doesn't know the cursed Blacks." The boy really was getting desperate.

Aldon paused, not used to such bold insults levelled in his direction. Most students had more sense or were too afraid of his family name. But Rigel grasped his hand and dragged him forward with a shake of his head, "I don't want a fight this early in the morning."

But of course Goldstein couldn't leave well enough alone and his voice carried clearly across the courtyard, "I actually heard Lady Black killed herself after she found out Harriet Potter was a Black bastard. I mean, how else would that girl be a defective Metamorph? I guess the whole bloodline really is rotten with incest and dark magic."

This time it was Rigel that froze, his eyes reflected his pained shock at the vicious words. Rigel whirled around; Draco already had his wand out and Pansy had placed a hand over her mouth in distress while the other grasped her wand.

Even Albright was looking at Goldstein in horror.

Aldon couldn't remember the last time he had felt affected by a slur against someone's mother. But if the pain he could see in Rigel's eyes had not been enough, he had his own vague but fond memories of Lady Diana. His mother had worked on the same committees and Rigel's mother had never passed him by and not had a treasure or sweet of some sorts for him. He remembered her gentleness and kindness and knew he could not let this go.

But someone had beaten them all to it.

Harry's book had dropped on the floor at Goldstein's first words. She then moved so fast Aldon would have suspected Apparition if they hadn't been in Hogwarts. She didn't even use her wand and it was a punch that brought the seventh year and best Ravenclaw dueller to his knees. The boy fell on his back with a broken nose with the second punch before he even realised he was being attacked and tried to fight back.

"I dare you, I dare you to repeat that," Harry hissed at him as she threw another punch at his bleeding face.

He wasn't sure why they all stood so frozen. Perhaps because they couldn't remember the last time someone had used physical violence against another student instead of spells. Or perhaps it was the striking picture of the slight girl over the hulking boy.

Either way the third punch did not land, wrist held tightly by Rigel's hand.

The two cousins shared a long look before Rigel said quietly, "I think he's learnt his lesson."

Harry's blazing eyes were mutinous even as Rigel looked sharply at the Ravenclaws frozen stupidly above them. "And I think these gentlemen know better than to insult anyone's mother."

Albright nodded numbly, eyes fixed on Harry's face.

Glancing down, Rigel took in the bleeding seventh year on the floor and added coldly, "Oh get up, you only have a broken nose. I would advise you to go to Madam Pomfrey as I'm more likely to vanish all your bones than heal you."

Then, in his usual Rigel-like way he ignored the silent courtyard and dragged his cousin off determinedly. Aldon shared a look with Edmund before they followed Draco and Pansy out of the courtyard. Soon after, Aldon was close enough to hear the first disagreement the cousins ever had had in their hearing as both ignored the four Slytherins on their heels.

"Come on, I'm taking you outside, I think you broke one of your knuckles on his face," Rigel said mildly.

Harry scoffed, "Oh don't look at me like that, I already know I should have kept my head down. I just couldn't help it. I can handle anything they throw at Harry Potter, the upstart half blood. But that he would insinuate that he would cheat on her. I just-"

Rigel sighed as she examined her hand, "You really need to work on your punches."

They had reached the grounds and Rigel sat his cousin down onto the ground. She waved her wand absent-mindedly and a thick rug materialised under their feet even as her eyes stayed fixed on Harry's knuckles.

Aldon lounged on his back, eyes closed and face lifted towards the cold winter sunlight. It was safe to assume Harry Potter was more hot-tempered than her cousin. It should have occurred to him - it would seem more logical to some wizards that Sirius Black had fathered a bastard instead of the Potter line suddenly giving rise to a Metamorphmagus. His pragmatic side couldn't rule it out either but at the very least, he could confirm the cousins had no knowledge of it. Their shock at such an insinuation had been too real.

"I know you told me what Hogwarts was like but somehow, it's better and worse than anything you'd described," Harry said in a rush of words that Rigel listened quietly to in a practised manner which hinted at this being a repeat scenario. "I feel suffocated by the pretentiousness of the students while your professors seem to like or dislike me based on what James Potter did at school. Even then, the library is wonderful and so much larger than at AIM. And why does that Albright fellow hate you so much?"

Rigel shrugged as he finally waved his wand and Aldon watched admiringly as the cut skin closed and the bruises disappeared.

It was Pansy that elucidated the mystery in a light voice, "Haven't you noticed Albright's behaviour over the last few weeks?"

They all looked at her blankly.

"He… likes Harry."

Aldon couldn't hide the surprise on his face - he was usually quite good at noticing these things. Perhaps his own fascination had blinded him. The others seemed to have exhibited the same surprise as Pansy huffed, "Boys. Of course he has a crush on her. He's been asking questions about her, it's all over the Hogwarts grapevine. I think he may have found out today that she's already engaged. To you." She added and nodded unnecessarily at Rigel who had paused from wiping the blood away from the vanished wound.

Aldon watched as the cousins looked at each other with identical expressions of disbelief on their face.

Then the oddest thing happened.

Rigel burst out in laughter. Aldon watched in amazement as the cool and composed Slytherin held his stomach, bent over in laughter as tears of mirth fell from his face.

"He has… a crush… on Harry Potter," he repeated in between bouts of breathless laughter.

"I think you just broke Rigel Pansy," Edmund said deadpan.

Harry seemed to not find it completely unusual, although she blushed and shook her cousins shoulder. "Cut it out Rigel. This is all your fault anyways. I didn't have this problem before."

Rigel seemed to finally calm down and gave them a brilliant smile, "Thanks Pansy, I needed that. Harry, are you sure you don't want to elope with him? We can tell Uncle James together!"

Harry just rolled her eyes, "I am so getting you back for this. Just you wait. Revenge will come when you least expect it."

"Why would you blame Rigel for this though?" Draco, who had been unusually quiet until then, asked.

Rigel and Harry shared one of those telepathic looks. "Things usually are my idea when they go wrong," Rigel said ruefully. Looking at his cousin he got up, "Now come on, I haven't had breakfast yet and you need to refrain from punching students, no matter how much Sirius and James may approve."

"Just be glad I didn't use my wand."

---

Aldon understood just how true of a statement Harry's last quip had been on the morning of the second task.

The rules were simple. The four champions would pick a random number and be assigned another champion as duelling opponent. The two winners would then battle for the highest score.

A large wooden, circular platform had been raised at the centre of the Quidditch pitch and a special stand erected for the judges. He was not the only one that observed the increased number of guests that had shown up for this. He wasn't sure if Lord Riddle's presence could be attributed to the unusual events of the first task but it did make him uneasy. He couldn't quite shake the worry that the reason he could also see Lord Riddle, Lucius Malfoy and certain other Lords had something to do with Harry Potter as champion. It was ridiculous, there was no evidence to support such a theory and yet, Aldon had a gut feeling.

His frown was interrupted as Rigel appeared next to him, looking a bit ruffled as he sat in the space between him and Edmund.

"You're cutting it close Rigel," Edmund said, amusement plain in his voice.

Rigel gave a bright grin. "Sorry, misplaced something important, have they picked the duels yet?"

Aldon nodded, "Yes, your cousin was paired against Albright."

Rigel hummed, before giving a wave but no explanation to Draco who sat two benches away and who had just noticed Rigel's position.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this," smirked Rigel.

"She's good?" Edmund asked, head tilted as if he was considering the idea. Aldon had learnt not to dismiss a dueller's ability because of their size. After all, Rigel was the best dueller in the DA and also one of the shortest. Perhaps it was years of ingrained tradition to regard witches as the more delicate sex but Harry looked so slight and unready to duel against the older students. She was still wearing those, admittedly practical, blouse and trousers instead of the traditional duelling robes. Pansy was miffed the girl hadn't listened to all her entreaties but even she saw how Harry had moved so easily in the first task compared to the other champions.

"Let's just say, we agreed she shouldn't hold back."

Aldon blinked at the uncharacteristic look of careless arrogance on Rigel's face. At that moment he looked more like the pureblood scion the world expected than ever before.

That was also an interesting turn of phrase, Aldon mused as Delacour faced Krum for the first match. Both were once again dressed in formal and elaborately decorated duelling robes. There were no words exchanged as they gave a short bow, serious expressions fixed on their face. Despite Albright's mess up, both he and Harry had scored higher in the first task and the other two champions would try hard to catch up.

The duel that proceeded was flashy and full of the usual spells one saw in duelling exercises. Nevertheless, he was impressed at the skill both champions presented. Some of the spells they hadn't yet covered in their seventh year DADA syllabus while others seemed to be specialised Veela magic. Krum even used spells that were classified as borderline dark and would therefore never be taught at Hogwarts.

The Hovercams were in action too as they zoomed on the spells and expressions, the sharp gash Delacour managed to inflict on her opponent and even the foreign swear words Krum uttered as he scowled darkly at said cut.

In the end though, Delacour could not win against the barrage of spells Krum sent her way. He seemed to have given up with any pretence about his skill level and the difference in talent was apparent. The International Quidditch player had incredibly fast reflexes and ten minutes into the match, the half-veela was knocked unconscious by triple set of spells.

He clapped half-heartedly while the rest of the stands collectively burst into applause as Krum bowed towards the judges. You would have thought the Bulgarian had just won the world championships the way the crowds cheered. Aldon had never been a big Quidditch fan so he had a hard time understanding the sheer adulation that followed the scowling seventh year everywhere. Besides, as interesting as the match was, it had not been the one he had been anticipating.

Albright and Harry climbed swiftly onto the platform. She seemed to be distracted and the Hovercam screens showed how those startling eyes scanned the stands. She paused and dipped her head faintly towards a section of the stands. The expression on her face looked remarkably like the one Rigel used when he found a pureblood tradition ridiculous but did not want to offend or ruffle someone's feathers. Aldon followed her gaze and the smile on his lips died as he realised it was directed towards Lord Riddle. He didn't think anyone would have noticed, the gesture had been so slight. But he did want to know what dangerous game Harry was playing with the leader of the SOW party.

"Potter!" Albright called out and drew her attention to him.

She raised an eyebrow enquiringly as around them, the organisers finished fixing the damage one of Krum's spells had caused.

"How about a wager?

Harry considered his words, "Why?"

"To make things more interesting."

Harry shrugged, "What do you want?"

"If I beat you, I get a date," He called out, a slight blush on his cheeks. Aldon had to hand it to him as he observed Harry's surprised features, the boy could have been sorted in Gryffindor with that kind of brash courage. Unless this was all a scheme to perplex his opponent before the duel - but he doubted Albright had enough of a devious streak for that.

He poorly disguised his chuckle as a cough when whoever controlled the Hovercams expertly directed one towards Head Auror Potter who was present as part of the security detail for the Games. The screen showed the shocked horror morphing into a murderous expression, all in superb detail. Beside him, Rigel chuckled, "I could not have planned that better, payback is sweet," he crooned and Aldon frowned. Wasn't Harry the one that had promised revenge for Rigel's inexplicable laughter at Albright's crush? He shelved the thought away as Harry finally replied, deadpan,"You have nothing I want."

Aldon nearly felt pity for the boy.

Albright looked discomfited before he rallied, "Scared Potter?"

Harry looked at him and he could see the thought forming in her head as she smirked - all of a sudden she looked rather predatory. "I win and you give Rigel an hour of your time every week to answer any education-related questions he may have."

Albright didn't look happy with the conditions of the wager but he eyed the slender figure before him and seemed to make up his mind on his odds, "Deal."

Aldon gave a side look towards Rigel as he shook his head and smiled ruefully. Did he not find the wager odd? At the very least, this whole scene was further proof for his theory about the fake engagement.

The two opponents finally bowed to each other. Albright immediately fell into a classical duelling pose - he obviously had had training.

Rigel didn't look worried though and they watched as Harry settled into a more relaxed pose, knees slightly bent, wand arm raised at an angle.

The bell rang.

Aldon blinked; one second Harry had rolled under Albright's spell and the next she had conjured a tornado of fire that chased him around the platform. Albright was distracted for barely a second as he put out the flames but somehow it was enough. Harry was behind him, her wand at his neck, her other hand blocking his wand arm.

"Surrender," she ordered, face serene.

The match hadn't even lasted a full sixty seconds.

Albright tried to raise his wand and form a spell - no doubt his predicament had not quite sunk in. The next instant he was unconscious and she gently lowered him to the floor before she turned to the surprised judges and gave an elaborate bow, a tad too low for Aldon to believe it sincere.

There was some confused applause. He could understand the crowd's reaction. Not only had the half blood 14 years old girl from the American school dispatched a pureblood seventh year boy; but she had done it in under a minute. The students wanted flamboyant spells and duels that went on long enough to be enjoyable not whatever that had been.

Harry's technique of rushing her opponent while they were still underestimating her had worked well. But the next duel would be very different and Krum was unlikely to make Albright's mistake.

Aldon whistled, "Well, I didn't quite expect that. She seemed to be even faster than you Rigel."

The fourth year smiled enigmatically, "He shouldn't have asked her out, he put her off her game."

"What do you mean? She beat him in under a minute," Edmund said disbelievingly.

Rigel scratched his head, "Well, I don't think she would have beaten him so fast if she hadn't been disconcerted by being asked out. Harry's too kind and she wouldn't have wanted to embarrass him that way - despite the fact that he's a prat."

Aldon contemplated the certainty in Rigel's voice when he talked about his cousin. Another piece of the puzzle was slowly finding its place in his head. The next match was set to commence straight after the first which meant Harry would not be getting a break in between. In that regard, it was a good thing she had finished her first opponent so fast – this way she wouldn't be exhausted during her second match. She would need all her energy to keep up with a dueller of Krum's calibre. He had forgotten Durmstrang placed much greater importance on duelling than at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter and Victor Krum gave a short bow, their eyes carefully lodged on each other.

Then the duel began and Aldon realised he was on the edge of his seat before the end of the first minute.

This wasn't a school duel between two talented students.

It wasn't even a duel between two vaguely proficient adults.

Krum was inhumanly fast and threw spells in deadly sets. There was an economy in his movements and he was smart enough to keep his opponent at a distance. He had given up any feints and his duelling talent was readily apparent. But somehow, the slim fourteen years old that faced him kept up with the pace he set.

He watched spellbound; the noise from the crowds, Lord Riddle, even the puzzles that made up Rigel Black was all forgotten in that moment.

She was captivating.

Somehow, duelling suited her. There was fierce joy in her face and a reckless grin grew as Krum increased the level and intensity of his spells. It nearly looked like she was dancing as she ducked and weaved and threw her own spells and shields, always one step ahead.

Only twice she nearly stumbled as she reached for something that she did not have and made an aborted movement that did not make sense without a weapon in her left hand. But that was ridiculous, Aldon thought, since it would have turned the match into free duelling and no one practiced that anymore - it had been outlawed decades ago.

The duel continued for at least twenty minutes, a rapid back and forth established. Somehow, the Quidditch athlete appeared to be breathing harder than the 14 years old even though she had been the one rolling around the stadium constantly. Krum had been using increasingly dark and powerful spells though and that did exhaust duellers faster. Meanwhile Harry still used laughably mild spells. A bone-breaking spell riposted with a tickling charm.

Finally, it was Krum's own move that doomed him.

Harry had concealed a silent tripping jinx behind a red Erupto spell and Krum hadn't caught it in time. The Durmstrang champion had fallen to the floor spectacularly and Harry had paused - apparently she believed in sportsmanship and was waiting for her opponent to get back up. Or perhaps she had lost interest in the duel. It was hard to tell with the mild AIM champion who paused in a race against time to politely exchange words with a Centaur. Krum got back up with a snarl and jabbed his wand sharply towards Harry. A dark and ornate dagger materialised and flew towards her at great speed.

Impossibly, she smiled and didn't flinch at the weapon that would at least take her eye out with that trajectory.

In an instant, the girl plucked the knife out of the air - only a few centimetres away from her face - and as the crowds gasped, she threw it expertly back.

But somehow, it moved even faster and it was all Krum could do to jump out of the way. His distraction cost him the match as thick ropes encircled him from all sides and Harry slowly moved towards his side to pluck his wand from the floor.

"You know, you really shouldn't play with knives."

The Hovercam captured the disbelief on Krum's face. There was grudging admiration in his tone as he said, "I concede to you Harry Potter."

This duel had the full approval of the crowd this time and they went wild, especially as Harry cut the ropes with Krum's own knife and gave him a hand to help him to his feet.

"Remind never to anger your cousin," Aldon teased once they were back in the common room after all the points had been awarded. "Where did she learn to duel like that? Did you tutor her?"

Rigel smiled tiredly, looking drained despite the fact that it was still morning.

"It's the other way round."

Aldon relished the aftermath of the second task even more than the first. The first had been overshadowed by Harry's changed appearance. Now, he could focus on the students' torn expressions as they followed the AIM champion through the corridors with apprehensive eyes. Most looked like they couldn't decide if the talent, skill and grace she had shown was a credit to her Potter bloodline or an affront because of her mother's muggleborn status.

Aldon had never personally spent much time questioning the ideas and accepted facts he had grown up with in the Rosier household. But anything that stated Harry Potter was somehow less could not be true – not when she shone brighter than any of the purebloods he knew and with skills and wit to spare.

She was indeed as kind as Rigel said she was he decided as he observed her helping a small blonde girl – were those radishes hanging from her ears? - gather her books from the floor after an 'accidental' push from two of her classmates.

Well, not too kind, he revised his statement as the two bullies arrived to dinner only to have their hair turned to bright pink afros.

Aldon had not given up on understanding the enigma Harry and Rigel represented, but he understood he would not get answers through suspicious looks and pointed comments as seemed to be Draco's preferred technique. His patience was rewarded when he accidentally overheard them speaking secrets.

That would show Edmund and his repeated admonishments not to laze around so late.

Aldon had been working on his transfiguration assignment while the common room had slowly emptied with the darkening hour. Finally done, he had stretched back on the reclining settee. He hadn't actually intended to fall asleep.

He woke up with a start, unformed shadows plaguing his sleep.

He felt disoriented. It was dark and he blinked the sleep away from his eyes as he glanced at the deserted area, a small crackling fire on the other side of the room casting shadows over him. The ornamental clock over the fireplace rang twelve times and Aldon stretched once more, he really should get to sleep in a more suitable bed - even if the settee made a surprisingly comfortable bed.

But then the entrance to the common room opened and he heard Harry's hushed voice.

"It's not funny, I'm sick of turning down people. The only reason they're not hounding me when I'm with you is because they think you'll get offended your fiancé is getting asked out." She snorted.

"I'm not sure what you want me to do about it, I thought we decided it would only be for the three tasks. I'm planning to spend that evening catching up on the backlog of potion orders."

"Oh yeah, I got a letter from Krait asking whether I needed a break considering the tournament," Harry said as she fell carelessly onto the couch closest to the fireplace.

"No, we need the money, I don't have enough to stop right now and there's some repairs to be done to the floo network and windows."

Harry groaned.

"Look, I'll help you catch up with the backlog, but you're coming with me to the stupid ball - it's mandatory for champions."

Aldon stayed carefully still as Rigel glanced idly around the common room but the boy didn't see him as he joined his cousin on the couch. Somehow they sounded different with nobody looking. He had thought them perfectly at ease in their close-knit group of Slytherin friends. But he glimpsed the way Harry easily placed her head in her cousin's lap while Rigel traced patterns on her forehead as if it was the most natural thing in the world and Aldon realised this was another layer peeled - the two cousins in their own secret world - no stranger or friends' presence to put a play on for. That was perhaps a bit harsh, but it did seem the two had not been actually at complete ease the way they had projected in Slytherins company.

Aldon tried to keep up with the conversation and not get lost in realisations but it was hard. The cousins were selling potions? To earn money? As if the two would ever need to do day's work if they didn't want to considering the Potter and Black fortunes at their disposal. And there was a house involved – or at least a place connected to the Floo network? And if that wasn't enough to ponder over, Harry really did seem as irreverent about the engagement as her cousin.

There was a moment of quiet with only the crackling of fire breaking the silence before Rigel finally admitted, "I'm worried about the time we're spending together. Draco has started to look at us weirdly."

Harry snickered, "Dear Draco has always looked at us weirdly. He seems to be a tad too possessive over you cuz. Why couldn't you just make normal friends? I can barely turn around without his jealous stare boring into me. He looks at me like you're his wife and I'm the mistress you're hiding on the side."

Aldon couldn't help the smile at the humorous image. She had done such a good job of treating Draco with equanimity he hadn't been sure she had actually noticed the stares."

Rigel leaned his head back against the curve of the settee. "Don't be ridiculous, he's just still worried about me after last year."

"Uhuh, I think you're in denial. I don't know how you'd survive such high-handed friends otherwise." She paused and then chuckled, "You know, there's a part of me that still expected to find you alone in the dungeons brewing and passive aggressively getting rid of anyone disturbing you."

Rigel smiled at the image, "As if you're any better. You do realise I have way more friends than you?"

Rigel then sighed and closed his eyes even as his fingers gently threaded through Harry's hair. "I'm not quite sure how I managed not to scare them all away to be honest," she said pensively. "I did do all I could to drive them away at first."

"I'm glad you did make friends though. I was worried when I left for AIM. And I really like Pansy." Harry continued, "But going back to your worries, I really don't think it matters if we stay apart or not anymore. A little too late if you get my meaning."

"But-"

"Look, this year has complicated everything – everyone now knows Harry Potter is a Metamorph and Rigel Black a Parselmouth. To be honest, I don't think we could do anymore damage this year as it is."

Rigel groaned, "Don't remind me. I think we'll just have to vanish when we reach 17. Maybe we could just live out our days exploring Egyptian tombs and finding mystical tribes in the rainforest."

Harry ignored her and continued, "Especially now that we look so different. Wasn't that the reason we agreed I could stop avoiding those closest to you? Going to the Yule ball together will highlight just how unalike we are."

Rigel exhaled, "I guess I just wish all this would be over and people would just stop staring at us, interrogating our every move. Sometimes hiding in my potions lab and never coming out sounds very appealing."

Harry grasped her hand and squeezed it, "I know we didn't plan to reveal things this way but with everything that's happened this year, I honestly think it's safer that Rigel Black and Harry Potter don't look so similar anymore."

Aldon's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his saliva. Had Harry just implied she was not an unconscious Metamorphmagus? But why the hell would she pretend to accidentally look like her cousin? And why not announce she was a Metamorph? How would they even have hidden it from their parents? Metamorphs showed their ability at a very young age according to the books he had read. One thing was for sure; there was indeed a plot underfoot. All those small inconsistencies had not been a figment of his imagination or obsession as he had half feared. Observing Black and Potter sometimes felt like he was only seeing half of complex Arithmetical equation which was why they made no sense. Aldon was more desperate than ever to understand.

Rigel yawned and then said deadpan, "You should just invite Hermione and be done with it."

Harry grimaced, "Don't even joke about it, she nearly strangled me when I told the Dean I would come. Anyways, you know we both like her too much to throw her in this snake pit."

Rigel gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, "Poor choice of words, you know what I mean. It's just, I forget how antiquated this country is when I'm at AIM. I didn't notice it as much during my summers here either. As magnificent as Hogwarts is and as much as I loved the stories Dad told me about the Marauders I'm glad I managed to escape when I did. I feel like half the school are sharpening their knives in case a half blood wins this most ancient of tournaments.

Rigel hummed, "You know, when the name Harry Potter came out of the Goblet I just wanted us to survive, to have this nightmare be over and to have one year with no one trying to kill us - at least intentionally. But I realised during the duelling task… I want Harry Potter the halfblood AIM student win. For her to show all those bigots at the ministry she can beat every challenge they throw at her."

Harry chuckled, "You mean you've turned into Dean Fuller and want to rub it in all their faces what type of student they could have had at Hogwarts if they just hadn't made those stupid laws?"

"Let's just say, as much of a complication the reveal of your Metamorph abilities will later be – that was some quick thinking by the way – it felt good to watch most of the students' faces turn green at the idea that the ability manifested in a half blood."

Aldon listened quietly, fascinated by how freely Rigel was sharing his political views when he so carefully tried to look apolitical when around his friends.

Rigel continued, "Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if the laws hadn't existed? If we'd both been sent to Hogwarts? How much our lives would be simpler?"

Harry scoffed, "The bigotry would have still been there. I think Master Snape hates James a lot more than Sirius too so Harry Potter would have had a hard time learning anything from him. You might not even have been sorted in Slytherin and we'd never have learnt so much healing either. Now are you going to come with me or will I have to use drastic measures of persuasion?"

Rigel laughed, "You know your pouts have never worked on me. I've thought of my price though."

"Your price?"

"Yes. I'm worried Hermione will try to continue hanging around the clinic next summer and it's not safe, especially as she doesn't always use the Floo network. You'll need to convince her of the danger and that she shouldn't venture into Knockturn Alley anymore."

Harry sniffed, "That's a bit hypocritical considering the amount of time you spend in those alleys. Hell even I've spent time there and we're both fine."

Aldon had to force himself not too get up and shake them both silly. Of all the reckless things to do – and of course Rigel had never mentioned a single word about all this. Did they realise how dangerous those alleys full of cut throats and thieves were – especially to the Heirs of such noble Houses?

"Leo keeps an eye out for me and you've always been with me. It's not the same. So deal?"

Harry sighed, "Fine but I'm picking your clothes, you have the dress sense of a blind Thestral."

Rigel rolled his eyes, "Whatever, as long as Pansy doesn't complain like she did about Harry Potter's tournament outfit."

Rigel gave another yawn and Harry tapped him on the forehead. "Come on, you need to get some sleep. I have some healing exercises I need to get you to practice tomorrow, you still have trouble with heart related wounds."

They both stood up, Harry headed towards the door before she twirled around and for a second Aldon feared she had noticed him.

Instead, she handed a letter to Rigel, "I nearly forgot! Here, it's from Leo. It's still a bit shouty about the tournament but at least it's not a Howler, eh?"

With a lazy wave of acknowledgement Rigel left for his dorm room and Harry exited the common room. But Aldon stayed awake thinking about all he had heard and learnt for at least another hour before he even tried to fall asleep.

---

Aldon had asked Pansy if she wanted to be escorted to the Yule ball a few days after the overheard conversation. It would afford her a break from her parents matchmaking efforts and would allow him to avoid a number of girls scheming to go out with the Rosier Heir. He would have been tempted to disregard the whole affair if it hadn't been for that maddening curiosity of his when it came to Rigel and Harry.

He dutifully complimented Pansy when she finally showed up all dressed up in periwinkle blue and she graciously accepted being compared to the moon itself. He often teased her with exaggerated praise but she did indeed look beautiful. Small blue gems were sprinkled in her blond tresses which she had tied up in a complicated-looking up do. Her eyelashes seemed darker than usual and a silver pendant he had given her for her last birthday was her only piece of jewellery. They were both comfortable in their relationship, Pansy being the little sister Aldon had never had. She was also everything a pureblood witch could aspire to be and she would surely turn heads tonight. It was soothing to listen to her keep up an easy commentary on the other students and the decorations as they arrived to the Great Hall.

The Hall was nearly unrecognisable. It had obviously been expanded, the illusion of a gorgeous night sky overhead deepened while thousands of candles hovered high and were reflected on the obsidian marble under their feet. It was an eerie effect but fit the occasion well. Pansy, who knew more about decorating events than he ever would, looked impressed so he assumed it met her expectations.

They shared a few more pleasantries as they observed the Hall filling up. Everyone was dressed up but students could be divided between the awkwardly nervous and those used to such occasions.

The Headmaster was outfitted in truly outrageous orange robes and there were quite a few adults not native to Hogwarts. He spotted James and Lily Potter talking to Lucius Malfoy of all people while farther away; the Potions Aldermaster was rescuing a Veela - no doubt Delacour's mother - from conversation with Bagman.

They were soon joined by their mutual friends - Draco who had refused all dates, Zabini who was accompanied by a nervous looking blonde and Theo and Millicent who had come together as friends.

"Anything outrageous happen yet?" Draco teased Pansy.

Pansy hushed him, "Listen, the music has started, the champions dance must be about to start!" She turned to Aldon and said with a mischievous smile, "Wait till you see Harry, I helped her do her hair but she actually has great taste in clothes."

Aldon wanted to ask her why he would point that comment towards him but his attention was captured by the emerged champions and their dates.

Even with a half-Veela and her date Diggory - one of the official 'heart-throbs' of the school, though Aldon would never admit to knowing that - next to them, Harry and Rigel were impossible to ignore.

They make a striking couple as the champions took the floor. Rigel was in silvery grey robes, while Harry was dressed in a deep emerald dress with silver leaves sewed around the sleeves. The off the shoulder gown was nearly risqué but fell gracefully around her and accentuated Harry's already ethereal looks. Her dark hair still looked wild but somehow also tamed as it fell around her face in a half braided up do.

They fit seamlessly together as the two danced around the other champions all fey-like. Rigel was free with his smiles this evening but Harry looked more self-conscious and uncomfortable in her dress, at least until Rigel whispered something to her and she looked up, scowling at him.

He wasn't the only one that tracked them through their dance. The Potters were both smiling from the other side of the hall – they obviously were comfortable with the cousin's closeness. Some students look more unhappy, Albright chief among them and he craned his neck away from his irritated date as he tried to keep Harry in his line of sight. On his right, Draco had a ferocious scowl on his face and ironically enough, the boy's godfather shared the exact same expression a few metres away, although perhaps for different reasons.

He offered his arm to Pansy as the music changed and she gave him a devious smile as they moved into the dance. He twirled her around the floor and made her laugh at the fast pace he was expertly leading her with. Other students had now joined in; even a few adults had eschewed the drinks table to dance a round. The music was tasteful and well-chosen, modern enough yet suitable for classical dances. His distraction cost him though as despite the fact that he led the dance, Pansy had somehow managed to position them near Rigel as the set came to an end.

"Are you sure you don't want another dance?" He heard Rigel tease his cousin who seemed to be rather unhappy with the whole affair. Odd considering she had been the one who had dragged her cousin to it. Perhaps she didn't like to be the centre of attention. He wasn't going to be the one to tell her she would have been so even if she hadn't been chosen as champion.

"Well Rigel, if you are so free with your dances tonight, I hope I'll finally get one," Pansy said archly.

Harry finally looked happy as she gave Rigel an artful look, "Yes Rigel, why don't you dance with Pansy?" She turned to Pansy, "Please forgive his behaviour, I think he broke into my coffee stash while I was getting ready."

Aldon watched them move off into the next dance, a Sauteuse if he wasn't very much mistaken, before he turned towards Harry and decided to try his luck once again.

"If you would do me the honour?"

Harry watched him with those luminous eyes of hers, expression uncertain.

"Surely you would not refuse me twice? My heart will surely not survive the disappointment," He added lightly.

She gave him a soft smile even as she lightly took his hand, "You are an incorrigible dramatic Rosier."

"Alas the lady has forgotten my name in the space of a night."

She looked up at him as they took their positions, "You are an incorrigible dramatic Aldon."

"May I add that the Lady is a stunning sight to behold," he said theatrically because he knew she would have shied away from a sincere compliment despite how true his words would have been. There was just something more to her, something that drew his eye and didn't let his attention wander as it usually did. He wasn't sure if it was the way those intense green eyes seemed to see every secret he had ever hidden, the sharp vulnerability in her features she hid with extreme levels of competence or even the hint of darkness that called to his own.

He realised they had been silent for a while and he grasped the first topic that came to mind when he saw Head Auror Potter with crossed arms drilling into him with frowning eyes.

"Your father doesn't seem to like me much," he said, amused. Usually adults only disliked or liked him based on their relationship with his father or his businesses.

Harry laughed softly, "Dad doesn't like any boys around me. He's been comfortable in his certainty that I didn't actually know any 'cept for Archie of course. I haven't corrected his misconceptions until now."

Aldon smiled faintly, "You seem to allow quite a few people their misconceptions don't you Harry?"

Harry's stare grew in intensity, "It seems kinder that way."

"Sometimes I forget how like Rigel you are and then you say something like this and the similarities are once again glaring," he murmured, half to himself.

Harry frowned, started a sentence, then stopped and tried again, "You're a good friend to Rigel, Aldon. But you have to understand he will always have secrets. Your friendship can only survive if you can tolerate that."

"But not from you, right?" Aldon said with a sardonic smile.

"From me what?" Harry repeated, puzzled.

"He doesn't have any secrets from you, or you from him."

Harry watched him warily.

"It seems like you've created an empire based on secrets and hiding while everyone else can only look from the outside to get glimpses of you," he said mildly. It wasn't like this was a revelation to him, he had always known he would need endless patience to truly get to the heart of them. He sighed, suddenly very weary. "Have care you do not lose sight of who you truly are amidst all your plans and plots," he added softly as the dance came to an end.

Harry seemed torn, head titled up to meet his eyes, hands still clasped in his. There was a knot of complicated emotions on her face as she scrutinised him. Finally, she opened her mouth, hesitant, words reluctant to tumble out.

"I -"

"I heard this was the best place to look for disguised potion mistresses."

They both startled, hands separating and Aldon looked coldly on at the interruption. He couldn't place the other youth and quickly sized him up. He looked a bit too old to be a seventh year of any of the invited schools and he was definitely not a Hogwarts students. Brown haired, handsome with a certain lazy confidence Aldon could recognise.

Harry seemed did seem to know the other boy though as she stepped forward and hugged him tightly as she exclaimed, "Leo! What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

So this was the infamous Leo? The boy who was apparently aware Rigel and Harry traipsed across the most dangerous of the magical districts? Aldon examined him as 'Leo' returned the hug and purposely ignored him.

"I found some spare time to come scold you since father needed to be consulted about something related to the Guild by the Headmaster."

"You know I don't get myself in these things on purpose," she replied seriously as she finally stepped back. Aldon would hazard a guess that 'Leo' had never seen Harry's true appearance if the way he traced her features with his eyes was any indication. Something in him felt appeased the interloper was not privy to the two cousin's secrets.

"No, things apparently just happen to you," the boy sighed exasperatedly before he finally turned his gaze towards Aldon and sharp eyes assessed him in return, "Aren't you going to introduce us Harry?"

Harry spun back to him, a blush on her cheeks at her rudeness, "Sorry, Aldon. This is Leo - Lionel, Aldermaster Hurst's son and the only friend I've made outside school. Leo, this is Aldon Rosier, he's one of Rigel's Hogwarts friends."

He gave a lazy nod and then addressed Harry, "I'd hope by now you would consider us friends too Harry, regardless of our shared connection in Rigel." He paid close attention to Hurst as he spoke the words and yes, sure enough, the boy's eyes narrowed. Friends indeed, he scoffed inwardly.

Harry gave him a slightly surprised look at his words, as if somehow, she hasn't expected him to seek her friendship. She smiled, "Of course."

Once again, Hurst interrupted them, "Wonderful, now that's settled, can I steal you away for a dance? He looked at Harry's recalcitrant expression and added, "Come on Harry, after all those summer lessons surely I deserve a dance? You can explain all about your year and how it wasn't your fault."

Harry sighed but gave Aldon an apologetic look and let Hurst guide her back into the thick of the dance once more.

He watched quietly from the sidelines as they moved together. Harry had been light and agile when she had danced with Rigel and then with him. But somehow, her movements changed with Hurst. Like their bodies knew each other's next move before the music even changed. They swayed and turned gracefully even as they whispered furiously together.

Or at least until Hurst was interrupted in turn.

Aldon smothered a laugh as Head Auror Potter, who had been dancing nearby with his wife, abruptly stopped next to the pair and seemed to be pointedly asking his daughter for a dance – in the middle of the set. Lady Potter's hand covered her mouth, obviously trying to hide her mirth and even Hurst looked amused. Lord Potter seemed to be so intent on his goal as Hurst backed politely away that he failed to notice he was leaving his wife in the middle of the dance floor.

Aldon hesitated for second, there was a roomful of mostly purebloods watching and he was sure this would get back to his father. But then he saw Bagman heading in her direction and he decided, moving quickly to intercept her before the gambling idiot reached her.

"Lady Potter, may I have this dance?" He asked politely.

She stared at him with the surprised expression of her daughter. He saw when she noticed Bagman as she smiled at him gently and took his arm, "That would be very gallant indeed."

He could feel the stares as he led her in slow dance, her feet light as she followed his lead easily.

"You're Aldon Rosier aren't you?" she asked with knowing eyes after a minute of silence.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Rigel spoke about me?"

She smiled, "No, Sirius did. He keeps an eye on his son's friends."

He gave her his most charming smile, "Then I'm surprised he didn't tell you I'm also friends with your daughter."

She laughed, "That I would have guessed even if James hadn't been glaring at you throughout your dance together. The poor man, I don't think he can make up his mind over who he finds more dangerous."

"He seems protective," he teased lightly, surprised at how natural it felt to converse with her. In most adults he would be on his guard, wondering what they wanted from him or his family. Somehow Lady Potter was disarming – something both Harry and Rigel seemed to have inherited somehow. There was something in her air that invited one to share.

"I think somehow, he imagined Harry would just be brewing potions in her lab for the rest of her life. A notion she has done nothing to dissuade I must add."

"She is close to her cousin though," he said lightly.

"Yes! Thank goodness for that, they have always been the best of conspirators," she paused for a second, her eyes evaluating just as her daughter's had done a few minutes beforehand. Then she said, "I was worried when they turned eleven and were going to be separated for school. More so for Archie when he was sorted in Slytherin. He's had quite a different upbringing from the rest of your House. But I'm glad he's made such close friendships. They've both adjusted wonderfully."

"Did you doubt he would thrive at Hogwarts though?" He asked confused.

She replied lightly, "Both were unhappy at being separated. Archie wanted to go somewhere with a healing programme and Harry was disappointed she would not be able to learn under the Potions Master here."

Aldon was momentarily distracted by said Potion Master's brooding stare in their direction.

The rest of their conversation stayed neutral and pleasant and he bowed lightly at the end of the dance.

She nodded and turned towards her husband's direction before she paused and looked back with an expressive smile.

"I'm glad she hasn't intimidated you off."

Aldon spent the rest of the evening next to a pouting Edmund – Selwyn had not been able to attend and his best friend was moping – reminding himself how infuriatingly perceptive women could be.

---

Of course, as in most things that involved Rigel, and now, Harry, the final task had to go horribly wrong.

They had all watched avidly on the screens as the champions made their way through the impressive maze filled with puzzles, traps and wizard-eating plants. Harry had had a strong lead and unless she did terribly in this task, was assured the Cup. She excelled at solving the complex and the logical so she moved quickly towards the centre of the maze, walls unlocked in her path.

Unfortunately she was Harry so when she saw Albright cry out – the boy has been unexpectedly good at the puzzles considering the debacle with the riddle in the first task – as he fought a large patch of Devil's Snare with a broken arm she hesitated. Then she turned away from the cup that was within arms reach and helped the boy burn the plant away.

"Sit still," she scolded as she healed his arm. Albright looked at her like she was the most absurd thing he had ever seen - which Aldon agreed was an accurate description.

When she was done a few seconds later, she paused and stared at him indecisively.

Albright nodded towards the Cup with a small grin, "Go take it, it's yours by any estimation of logic."

Harry the ridiculous girl still looked torn. "I – together?"

She saw his look of surprise and said with a strange smile, "I might regret this later if you're a prat about it but it seems oddly fitting to share this victory with the Hogwarts champion."

Aldon sighed at the bleeding heart but raised his hand into clap as both champions lifted the cup together.

Only the next instant, Harry and Albright had disappeared.

"What." Draco stated.

It was an accurate summation of the situation. There was no reason for the cup to be a Portkey. Bagman had announced the winner would be the first to touch the cup and that the maze would begin to self-destruct as soon as the prize was touched.

Edmund frowned as the spectators looked on, cluelessly.

Rigel stood up, wand out, "Something's not right."

Indeed, Aldon could see the organisers huddled together with the judges and the Headmaster even while Head Auror Potter was jogging towards them from the other side of the pitch.

It took ten minutes before Krum and Delacours were extricated from the maze. By then the crowds were getting restless and half the Aurors were sent to direct them towards the Great Hall until they determined what had gone wrong. Rigel had refused to leave with a mutinous expression on his face until the Auror had threatened to stun him.

The boy had gotten that look in his eyes – Aldon was getting quite familiar with it – and followed them all silently to the castle. Even as he watched Rigel's every move from behind, he nearly missed it when Rigel departed. He wasn't even surprised and only hesitated a moment as he looked at their unknowing friends ahead before he ran after the boy.

Rigel said nothing when he noticed him and they made their way back to the pitch silently. It was evident there had been no sign of the champions.

Lord Potter was red in the face as he argued with the game organisers while Aurors waved their wands around the collapsed maze, probably checking for interfering magic.

"I should have known, I should have damn well known," he heard Rigel mutter to himself as he made a beeline towards the Headmaster.

Aldon stayed back, the boulder at the bottom of his throat growing bigger with every minute. Somehow what worried him most was that he had never seen Rigel look so agitated. He watched as his friend spoke to the Headmaster and Professor Snape in urgent tones. Whatever he got as a reply obviously didn't please him.

Before Aldon could decide what to do next the sky darkened and there was rumble of thunder. The next second, in the middle of the demolished maze, a perfect circle of earth cracked into existence.

The smoke started to dissipate and Aldon began to discern three figures. All the Auror's wands were out as they approached cautiously.

Aldon and Rigel were close behind and he heard Rigel's sharp intake of breath as they recognised the first body. Spread-eagled on the rocky earth was Dean Thomas Fuller.

The smoke was nearly gone by then and Aldon slowly took in the rest of the scene.

Albright looked bad as he wheezed from where he held himself up on one knee. He was in the exact middle of the circle and Aldon realised he was surrounded by another scribbled alchemical array - this was probably how they had made their way back. But he knew everybody's gaze like his own, focused on the stone angel by Albright's side. It was one of those large stone statues he'd seen once in a picture of a muggle graveyard. Tied to it, feet not quite reaching the floor and arms splayed open and attached to the angel's wing was Harry; unconscious as the blood dripped steadily down the stone feathers from the gashes on both wrists.

Lord Potter was the first to fling himself towards his daughter, hands outstretched and a terrible expression on his face. Albright called out in warning but he was too late as the Auror was flung backwards a few metres and fell on one of his unfortunate subordinate.

"I'm sorry – I'm sorry – I didn't know what to do – I don't know what he did – he tried to get in her mind. I couldn't touch her – her magic's gone wild!" Albright shouted, near hysterical.

Sure enough, a sphere of swirling red magic had turned visible around the insensible girl, weaving and curling translucently in dangerous patterns. As if the magic was daring someone to approach. Aldon shook his head at his own absurdity and held on tightly to Rigel who seemed determined to suffer the same consequences as his uncle.

Lord Potter was already up, eyes glued on his daughter, but he kept his distance this time as he barked at Albright, "What happened?"

Madam Pomfrey neared and carefully started healing Albright's wounds but when Bagman approached Dean Fuller, Albright clutched his wand, "Don't! Don't wake him up - he's working for him, he's working for Voldemort. He tried to kill me."

Aldon's eyes narrowed and he noted the exchanged look between the Headmaster and Professor Snape.

He was distracted by Rigel as the boy wriggled his way out his grasp and headed straight for his cousin.

Lord Potter caught him back in time, "Archie what are you doing here? It doesn't matter, you can't approach, she doesn't know what she's doing, she'll hurt you!"

"She won't hurt me," Rigel said impatiently even as he tried to dig himself free once again.

"You've never seen her like this Archie!" Potter snapped, "She's can't control this magic, we need to get healers from StMungoes here and try to drain her of her excess magic."

Aldon watched in disbelief as Rigel lost his temper. "Yes I have! And she's not Lily! She's not going to hurt me - her magic isn't going to hurt me - and I'm not going to let her stay mutilated up there!"

His words seemed to shock Lord Potter into loosening his grasp and Rigel took the opportunity to run forward into the circle. He then dropped his wand to the ground for some reason and slowly extended his arm.

He kept his arm raised as he walked carefully but surly towards the sphere of magic; even as a wave of magic snapped at him… warningly?

"No, I'm not leaving." To Aldon's astonishment, Rigel appeared to be addressing the magic itself as he continued to inch forward.

"I know you're protecting her, but you know she wouldn't want you to hurt me," He continued quietly, moving inexorably through the sphere, an invisible wind ruffling his hair in all directions.

"Yes that's right. You recognise yourself in me don't you, you know I would not harm her."

Aldon watched along with a dozen fascinated adults as Rigel reached his cousin's side without being harmed. He untied her arms while the magic seemed to die down. The next minute, Rigel had gathered his cousin in his arms and began to walk back towards them.

Immediately Lord Potter was on them as he grasped his daughter's still dripping wrist and called for a Healer.

Later, more details would trickle down to him - from official reports, from Rigel and Harry and even from Albright. He would learn how the man who had set the basilisk on students in second year had come back for revenge. How he had used Harry's blood in a dark ritual to regain his body after Rigel had bested him in the Chamber of Secrets. How the terrorist named Voldemort had found a supporter in Dean Fuller and his hate for the British nobility.

But that was all later.

In that moment, as Aldon stared in silent relief while Rigel leaned his forehead against Harry's, half cradling her and unable to let her go, the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

---

Thomas Henry Fuller stared at the approaching green light with bitter acceptance. He had known it would arrive, had known he would never be allowed to testify.

All his plans for revenge thwarted so miserably.

His Lord had recruited him after the Ministry peons had invited his small American school to the tournament, no doubt to prove their own superiority.

He would have refused if not for his Lord's orders. He had needed someone at Hogwarts to enter some student's name, a certain Rigel Black.

Thomas had been taught the magic to use on the Goblet and had used it perfectly. It had been easy to perform the spell and enter Rigel Black's name imbibed in the essence of a personal item he had stolen from the boy's dorm room. He had followed all his instructions perfectly. It should have worked. The magic should have replaced whatever AIM champion was chosen with Rigel Black.

After all, Thomas hadn't meant for his interference to be discovered and had relished the idea of rebuffing the Ministry's apologies when no AIM student was chosen.

Only, Rigel Black's name hadn't emerged as the fourth champion.

Harriet Potter's had.

The only reason she was even at Hogwarts was because his Lord had wanted to use her as an insurance.

The punishment for his failure had been severe but Lord Voldemort had been gracious and gave him another chance after he had resolved himself to use Potter instead of Black for the ritual. Dean Fuller had felt a twinge of unease – Potter was a good kid and better student. Then again, both Black and Potter were part of the rotten British elite. He had watched in disgust as she had befriended, danced and laughed with all those Heirs. As if their parents were not the reason for the policies that had exiled both of them.

At least, Thomas thought, the ritual had succeeded. Lord Voldemort had regained his body and would bring blood and destruction to their enemies.

In the next second, the death curse reached Thomas Henry Fuller and he was no more.

The assassin was far gone by the time the Aurors arrived.

---

1. I forgot to write what the answer to Albright's riddle was in the first task. The answer was 'a riddle'.

2. I think this goes without saying, but I enjoy having characters coming to the wrong conclusions and having flawed point of views. So take each POV with a pinch of salt.

3. If it was unclear to anyone, Harry remained as Rigel all year except for the three tasks and the Yule ball. Also, if it was not understood, Dean Fuller's spell on the Goblet did work. It was just that the essence of the personal item determined who's name would come out and since the Goblet does not care for pretence, Rigel's comb led to Harry Potter being called out.

4. I was going to add a Riddle POV but this thing would never end. I might do it later. It would have made it clear that he was the one that instructed Crouch to invite AIM. He did not per say mean direct harm to Harry Potter but wanted his spies to report more information about the two cousins that intrigued him.

5. If anyone's curious, Harry used a potion-linked glamour to look like Rigel for most of the year after the first task.

6. If anyone's curious, next I'll be completing my Sunshine in Sound AU. I'll probably come back to finish my incomplete snippets for Rigel after that. I do hope this inspires some of you to type your own drabbles though - the only downside to writing this was knowing I couldn't read it myself with fresh eyes.

7. Violet, if you read this – how do you ever stop working on a chapter?