Chapter 5
October 27th, 1994
“Alright, off yeh go, kids!” Hagrid called out cheerfully, his voice carrying over the Hogwarts grounds as he waved off the fourth-year students. His smile gleamed under his bushy beard, clearly pleased with today’s lesson.
Maria hurried to catch up with Draco, nearly tripping over an exposed tree root. She stumbled but quickly regained her balance, laughing lightly at her own clumsiness. “Merlin’s beard,” she muttered under her breath, trying to compose herself.
Draco glanced back at her, amusement flickering in his pale, grey eyes. “You need to be more careful,” he said, shaking his head, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. His tone was laced with the sort of teasing familiarity only years of friendship could build.
“What’s life without a little risk?” Maria quipped, her smile bright despite the near mishap.
Draco raised an eyebrow, his grin widening just a bit more. “Is that a line from one of those novels you’re always reading?”
Maria shook her head as they fell into step together, the castle looming ahead in the distance. “Not this time. The new ones I picked up from Hogsmeade were a bit plain—well, except for three. I was thinking of returning the others. But no, I dreamt someone saying it. Seemed fitting, don’t you think?”
“If tripping over a tree root counts as a ‘risk’ in your life, then I’m afraid you’ve lived a far too sheltered life.” Draco responded, his tone perfectly dry, though the warmth in his voice betrayed his amusement.
“Says the Malfoy heir,” she shot back playfully. “The riskiest thing you’ve ever done is provoking that hippogriff—what was its name again? Buck—”
“All right, all right,” Draco interrupted, his cheeks tinged with the faintest hint of color as he waved her off, though the smile remained on his face. “You’ve made your point.”
As they reached the stone archway leading into one of Hogwarts’ many towers, Maria frowned, a sudden thought crossing her mind. “Hang on, where are Blaise and Theo? They weren’t in class today.”
Draco sighed, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his robes. “Apparently, they’ve come down with a ‘terrible illness,’” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Maria scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Illness? Please. They’re probably off causing some sort of trouble. I can sense it.”
Right on cue, the familiar figures of Blaise and Theo appeared at the top of the stairs, grinning widely.
“What did I tell you? Not a sign of sickness on their faces,” Maria muttered, nudging Draco, who merely chuckled in response, equally unsurprised by their sudden reappearance.
Theo waved a piece of parchment in the air, his grin widening. “Guess what this is?” he asked excitedly, his dark eyes gleaming with mischief.
“A piece of parchment?” Maria said dryly, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Theo huffed and thrust the paper into her hands. “Obviously. Read it! They’ve been posted almost everywhere.”
Reluctantly, Maria took the parchment, her eyes scanning the words. As she read, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Notice: Honored Guests will be arriving on the 30th of October. Please partake in the dinner feast that evening. Attendance is imperative.”
Maria blinked, looking up at Theo. “What is this about?”
“Remember how I mentioned that rumor a few weeks ago?” Theo asked, practically bouncing on his feet. His excitement was almost contagious.
“No,” Maria and Draco said in unison, their voices flat.
Theo ignored them, far too wrapped up in his revelation. “Well, I heard more from my father. Apparently, they’re bringing back the Triwizard Tournament!”
Maria’s eyes widened slightly, a disbelieving laugh escaping her. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious,” Theo grinned, clearly thrilled by the prospect. Blaise nodded in agreement, his usual nonchalance replaced by a rare spark of interest.
Maria shook her head, still in shock, as they started walking towards the Great Hall for lunch. “And this was enough to make you both skip Care of Magical Creatures?”
Blaise finally spoke up, his tone unbothered. “We don’t exactly have an affinity for that class. Hagrid’s…tolerable, but it’s hardly the most thrilling part of the day.”
“He taught about dragons earlier,” Maria pointed out, a hint of fondness creeping into her voice.
Draco smirked, his eyes lighting up with mischief. “Ah yes, I recall. Finnigan nearly lost his head when Maria casually mentioned that her family keeps dragons as groundskeepers.”
All three boys burst into laughter, Blaise and Theo only imagining Seamus’ reaction.
Maria rolled her eyes, though a small smile played on her lips. “You lot are utterly ridiculous. In a future Christmas, whether this year’s or next’s, I’m inviting you to my estate. Our dragons are hardly dangerous—”
“Yet one flare of their fire breath is enough to make us sizzle like sausages—speaking of sausages, we have cumberlands sausages for one of the main dishes today.”
“Always thinking about food,” Blaise muttered to himself, chuckling at Theo’s enthusiasm.
They walked through the grand doors of the Great Hall and stepped into the familiar warmth and chatter of students enjoying their midday meal. The long house tables were already filled with plates piled high with roasted meats, mashed potatoes, glistening jugs of pumpkin juice, and the sausages Theo craved.
Maria, Draco, Theo, and Blaise made their way to the Slytherin table, slipping into their usual seats. Maria sat next to Draco, while Theo and Blaise settled across from them. Almost immediately, Maria reached for a roasted chicken leg.
“Triwizard Tournament,” Theo said again, picking up the conversation as though it hadn’t been interrupted. “Can you imagine? Champions from three schools…They say the tasks are legendary.”
“And deadly,” Blaise added, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice. “You lot can count me out of any attempt to compete.”
Draco smirked, spearing a roast potato with his fork. “If there ever is a task that involves the Great Lake, I can’t see you doing any of them.”
Theo scoffed. “You’re one to talk, Draco. I distinctly remember you refusing to get into the Black Lake last summer because you didn’t want to ‘dirty’ your robes.”
“That was different,” Draco muttered, flushing slightly. Maria stifled a laugh, her eyes glinting with amusement.
She was just about to take a bite of her food when Blaise leaned forward slightly, his voice low. “Maria, don’t turn around, but Millicent Bulstrode is heading this way.”
Despite Blaise’s warning, both Maria and Draco turned in unison, curiosity piqued. Sure enough, Millicent Bulstrode was making her way toward them, her heavy footsteps echoing against the stone floor. There was something odd about her expression—determined, yet strangely uneasy.
Maria exchanged a puzzled glance with Draco, her fork hovering in midair as Millicent came to a stop in front of her. Blaise raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, while Theo leaned back in his seat, folding his arms as though preparing to watch an unexpected show.
Millicent cleared her throat, her voice shaky as she began, “Marialynne, I-I owe you an apology.”
The entire group fell silent. Draco’s brow furrowed, and Maria could feel the eyes of several other Slytherins turning in their direction. Millicent seemed to be reciting something she had rehearsed over and over in her head, her eyes flickering between Maria and the floor.
“I’m sorry for what I did—slipping the poison in your drink that day and for the threats I’ve sent your way.” Millicent’s voice trembled, and she glanced briefly at Blaise and Theo, both of whom had been the ones to stop Maria from drinking it. “I didn’t mean...well, I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Maria felt Draco stiffen beside her, his hand tightening around his goblet, but before either of them could respond, Millicent did something even stranger. She gave a low, awkward bow in Maria’s direction, her eyes glued to the floor. The bow was so sudden, so out of place, that it left Maria completely taken aback.
Millicent straightened, her face flushing red, and without another word, she turned and hurried away, disappearing into the sea of students at the far end of the hall.
There was a moment of stunned silence at the Slytherin table. Maria blinked, completely at a loss for words, and turned back toward Blaise and Theo. “Did you two put her up to that?”
Blaise looked genuinely offended. “Merlin, no. That’s a bit much, even for us.”
Theo shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. “Trust me, Maria, we wouldn’t dream of something that elaborate. We’re mischievous, not cruel.”
Draco snorted, still looking slightly disturbed. “What the hell was that about?”
“Well...” Theo began, glancing at Blaise before continuing. “We had detention with Millicent two weeks ago—Snape was angry—his whole demeanor changed. I think he was furious about the poison incident. I mean, Snape has his ways of...motivating us.”
Maria frowned, her curiosity deepening. “Snape?”
At the mention of the Potions professor, she instinctively looked up toward the staff table at the front of the hall. There, Professor Snape sat in his usual place, his dark, calculating eyes fixed directly on her. For a brief moment, they locked gazes. Then, with the smallest of nods—so slight it might have been missed by anyone else—Snape turned his attention back to Professor Flitwick, who was seated beside him, chatting animatedly.
Maria slowly lowered her gaze, her thoughts swirling. She had always known Snape to be intimidating, but protective? That was something new. She glanced sideways at Draco, who was still frowning in thought.
“Well,” she said, reaching for her pumpkin juice and taking a sip, “that was...unexpected.”
Draco gave a hum of agreement, still looking confused, but before anyone could say more, Maria added thoughtfully, “It’s probably Snape looking out for me.”
Blaise raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Snape? Since when does he ‘look out’ for anyone?”
Maria smiled faintly, remembering a small detail her mother once told her. “He’s friends with my mother—Sofiana. They’ve known each other since their days at Hogwarts. They’ve stayed in touch since. She’s mentioned him a few times before.”
Theo leaned in, clearly intrigued by this new information. “Snape and Sofiana, huh? That’s...something.”
Draco, who seemed to be absorbing this new bit of information, muttered, “So that’s why Snape’s always seemed a bit softer with you.”
Maria snorted softly. “Soft isn’t exactly the word I’d use, but yes, I think he’s trying to make sure I’m not...targeted.” She glanced back at where Millicent had disappeared. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with that apology.”
Theo grinned, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Only Snape could turn an apology into something that feels like a threat.”
“Still,” Blaise added, with a smirk, “if he’s looking out for you, it might not be so bad to have him in your corner.”
Maria couldn’t help but agree. It wasn’t every day that someone had the favor of one of the most intimidating wizards at Hogwarts.
The conversation returned to lighter topics, but Maria’s mind kept drifting back to Millicent’s strange apology—and the fact that Snape had silently intervened on her behalf. It made sense, given his history with her mother, but it was unsettling to realize just how closely he had been watching.
She glanced around the Great Hall, taking in the sight of students enjoying their lunch, and wondered if anyone else was talking about the rumored tournament. Nevertheless, she turned back to her plate, eager to fill her stomach.
The library’s quiet atmosphere was soothing, almost too soothing. The soft rustling of pages and the occasional distant clink of Madam Pince's sorting cart lulled the space into a peaceful hum. Maria pinched the skin on her palm, fighting to keep herself awake. She had always hated studying so close to curfew. The stillness of the evening never helped her focus. But when Theo had convinced her that he wanted to “study” in the library, she had been curious enough to join him, wondering how long his sudden enthusiasm would last. Draco and Blaise, of course, hadn’t bought it. They’d opted to return to the Slytherin common room, not wanting to be part of Theo’s antics.
“Theo,” Maria sighed, leaning her head onto her hand, watching him with amused eyes. He was entirely absorbed, face buried in a book, his fingers flipping through the pages with rapid movements as if searching for something. “It’s half an hour ‘til curfew. Madam Pince will kick us out in fifteen if she’s in a good mood.”
“Keep your wand straight, Mari,” Theo muttered, barely glancing up, his eyes scanning each line of text until he finally found what he was looking for. “Here!” he exclaimed, a little too loudly for the library's strict silence.
Maria shushed him, her eyes darting toward Madam Pince, who was glaring at them with a look of utter disdain. The librarian tapped the watch on her wrist, giving Maria a very clear and mocking warning.
Theo, oblivious, rounded the table and slid Maria’s notebook to the side, plopping the large book in front of her with an eager grin. “Read this,” he said, pointing to a faded paragraph in the middle of a yellowed page.
“If this is a joke and you’ve wasted my time—”
“Just read it,” Theo insisted, cutting her off.
Maria sighed and adjusted her posture, leaning over to read the aged text:
Triwizard Champion Winner of 1787: Alarik Heidenreich PenDragon (17). With his marvelous display of ancient magic, he successfully hoisted the Triwizard Cup after defeating a near-immortal Hydra that resided in the depths of the Black Lake. The previous champions were, unfortunately, killed during the second task, leaving PenDragon as the sole victor to face the nine-headed beast.
Maria’s breath caught in her throat. “Merlin’s beard,” she muttered, sitting back in shock as she absorbed the information.
“Told you it was worth it,” Theo grinned, looking rather pleased with himself. Maria jumped from her seat, startling him in her rush.
“You’ve got to check this out before Madam Pince curses us,” she urged, laughing slightly as she watched Theo hurriedly grab the book and dart toward the librarian’s desk.
Madam Pince scowled as Theo skidded to a stop. “No running in my library!” she snapped, though she took the book from him with a practiced sigh. Maria, meanwhile, packed her notes and books into her satchel, still reeling from the idea that an ancestor of hers had been a Triwizard champion. PenDragon blood. She chuckled under her breath.
“See that you return this on time, Mr. Nott,” Madam Pince said dryly as she handed the book back. “I don’t want another incident where you returned rags instead of a book.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Theo grinned cheekily, not looking the least bit apologetic.
As they left the library, the cool evening air from the castle’s corridors was a relief. Maria’s thoughts were spinning. “An ancestor of mine won a Triwizard Tournament,” she muttered in disbelief.
Theo turned to her with enthusiasm. “This is a sign, Mari! You have to enter the tournament,” he said, holding the book up. “The Ministry is bringing back the Triwizard Tournament the same year you’ve started at Hogwarts. It’s too perfect!”
Maria shook her head, laughing at his absurdity. “You’re pushing it, Theo. It’s cool that one of my ancestors was a champion, sure, but there’s no way I’m entering. I don’t have whatever ancient magic he had—sounds like a taboo form of magic, anyway.”
They reached the Grand Staircase, Maria still shaking her head at Theo’s wild imagination. She was about to ask him something when he interrupted, as if reading her thoughts.
“I’m walking you to your dorm,” he chuckled. “Just because I’m not Draco doesn’t mean I’m not a gentleman.”
Maria rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Come on, Maria. Tell me you’re not blind to his gestures,” Theo teased as they ascended the staircase. “Draco’s smitten with you.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, though the warmth creeping into her cheeks betrayed her.
Theo nudged her playfully. “Blaise and I have been talking, and we’re pretty sure Draco fancies you.”
“Draco?” she scoffed. “We’ve been friends forever.”
“Friendships can turn into something more,” Theo pointed out with a knowing smirk. “Why are you so resistant to the idea? Is it because you don’t feel the same?”
Maria faltered. She hadn’t allowed herself to fully acknowledge it, but there was something different about Draco lately. She had noticed it during their recent trip to Hogsmeade—his usual teasing had felt more personal, more meaningful. But she had been pushing the feelings away, afraid of what they might mean.
Before she could answer, they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady let out an excited squeal. “Oh, I knew it! That Malfoy boy is completely smitten with you! I told you I wasn't the only one who’s noticed,” she gushed.
Theo snorted with laughter. “Even a portrait can see it, Maria.”
“I—I’m sure Draco only acts that way because we’ve been friends for so long,” Maria said, her voice lacking conviction.
Theo gave her a pointed look. “Friendships evolve. Besides, Draco’s been on his best behavior since you started at Hogwarts. Not one hex aimed at Potter or his lot.”
Maria sighed, glancing at the floor. “Don’t get my hopes up.”
“So you do like him,” Theo pointed out quietly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Maria muttered, inching toward the Fat Lady’s portrait. “I like things the way they are. I don’t want anything to change.”
Theo studied her for a moment, seeing the girl who had grown alongside him and Draco. He knew their friendship could turn into something more, but he wouldn’t push either of them. The universe would take care of it in time.
“All right,” Theo said gently. “Sorry if I pushed it.”
“You didn’t,” Maria smiled, though it was small. “Just…let’s keep this between us, yeah?”
“Of course,” Theo said with a reassuring pat on his chest. Just as the Fat Lady’s portrait began to swing open, Maria jumped back to avoid being hit by the door. Harry appeared, his eyes flickering between her and Theo.
“We heard the Fat Lady screaming a bit ago. Everything alright?” he asked, concern edging his voice.
“Yeah,” Maria replied, though her voice was quiet.
“Nothing happened, Potter,” Theo added curtly, his tone more reserved than before.
“Goodnight, Theo,” Maria said, offering him a small wave as he turned and hurried down the stairs to the dungeons.
Harry’s gaze lingered on her. “Are you sure you’re okay, Maria?”
She felt the wetness on her cheeks and reached up, startled to find tears. Quickly, she wiped them away. “I’m fine, Harry. Just tired. Goodnight.”
Before he could respond, she hurried past him and up the stairs to the girls’ dormitory, leaving him standing there, confused.
Back in the common room, Harry rejoined Ron and Hermione, his brows furrowed in concern.
“Is she alright?” Hermione asked, her face mirroring his worry.
“She looked like she’d been crying, mate,” Ron added, his usual casual tone replaced by genuine concern.
“I don’t know,” Harry admitted, sinking into a chair. “Nott walked her back tonight instead of Malfoy.”
“Think Malfoy hurt her?” Ron questioned immediately.
“No, Ronald,” Hermione sighed. “Not everything bad has to do with Malfoy.”
Ron mumbled something under his breath, but Harry couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. Still, he pushed his thoughts aside as Hermione prompted him to continue telling them about Sirius’s latest letter. But even as he spoke, his mind wandered back to Maria.
October 28th, 1994
It was six in the morning when Maria stirred from her restless sleep. The weight of the previous night’s events clung to her like fog. With tired eyes and a lingering sense of unease, she dressed quickly, mindful of her movements as Hermione and the Patil twins were still fast asleep.
Slipping out of the Gryffindor common room, she made sure the portrait door closed quietly behind her, avoiding the Fat Lady’s usual grumbles. The castle was still and silent, with only a handful of older students already awake, their faces dimly lit by the soft, early light filtering through the windows.
When Maria stepped into the Great Hall minutes later, it was nearly empty. The long tables, usually crowded and bustling with life, now seemed vast and quiet. As expected, it was only half-past six, far too early for most. She spotted a familiar face—a fellow Gryffindor, a seventh-year, sitting at the front of the table. They exchanged a brief nod before Maria found a seat farther down.
As she began assembling a simple breakfast sandwich, her thoughts drifted back to Theo’s words from the night before. Her relationship with Draco has always been just a friendship—nothing more, nothing less.
But things had shifted. There was no denying it now. Over the past month, her feelings for Draco had changed. Or maybe they’d changed long before, and she was only just realizing it. The idea of her and Draco becoming something more felt strange—unnatural, almost. They had been friends for so long, the four of them, inseparable. If she and Draco crossed that line, what would it do to the dynamic they had all built together?
“Maria?”
She was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice and spun around, mid-bite. She nearly choked. Standing behind her was Draco with his black robes draped over his arm.
“Why are you up this early? You’re usually not out of bed for at least another hour,” he asked, raising a brow in curiosity.
Maria swallowed her food quickly, trying to steady her thoughts. “I couldn’t get back to sleep.”
Draco glanced over at the nearly empty Slytherin table behind her and nodded toward it. “Come sit with me. Theo told me about what he found in that book you two were looking at in the library last night.”
Maria gathered her plate and slung her satchel over her shoulder before walking over to the Slytherin table, settling down next to Draco. The early morning quiet still lingered in the Great Hall, only a few more students now arriving.
“So,” Draco began, casually poking at his breakfast, “Theo mentioned something about your family last night. Apparently, one of your ancestors was a Triwizard champion?”
Maria nodded, offering a small smile. “Yeah, centuries ago. Theo thought it was fascinating. He even joked that I should enter—if the rumors about the tournament coming back this year are true.”
Draco frowned, concern etching his features. “I don’t know if ‘fascinating’ is the right word. My father’s spoken about the Triwizard Tournament before. It’s not a game, Maria. It’s dangerous. People have died.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t sure what to call the feeling swirling inside her—perhaps it was the worry in his voice, the unspoken care behind his words that made her chest tighten.
“I’d rather you stay safe,” Draco added, his grey eyes serious, “than try to claim the glory this tournament offers.”
Maria swallowed, the warmth in her chest deepening. She nodded slowly. “I wasn’t planning on entering anyway. I’m still catching up with the curriculum from first to third year–practically failing. I can’t imagine trying to juggle that and a tournament like this.”
Draco shook his head slightly. “You’re underestimating yourself. You’ve been catching up faster than anyone else could. If it were someone else, they’d still be lost in the first-year textbooks. You’ve managed to keep pace—and more than that.”
Maria blushed faintly but didn’t argue. A small smile tugged at her lips. They shifted to lighter topics until she finally noticed his untied tie draped lazily over his shoulders.
“Honestly, Draco,” she grumbled with a roll of her eyes, reaching for the tie without a thought in her head. “You’ve been attending such fancy events since you could walk, and you still can’t manage to tie a proper knot?”
Draco smirked but didn’t stop her as she deftly began tying the knot. “That’s why I usually just use a glamour spell or have someone else tie it for me. Half the time, I don’t bother tying it properly—I just charm it to look like I did.”
Maria shook her head as she tugged the knot tighter. “Of course you do. For someone who’s constantly told to ‘present’ himself, you’ve certainly found ways to cut corners.”
He chuckled softly, the sound low and familiar. “Why waste time when magic can do the job?”
As Maria finished fixing his tie, she realized he had been watching her intently. His gaze was steady, and for a moment, she found herself caught by the softness in his eyes. Her fingers froze, the air between them suddenly feeling charged. Flustered, she cleared her throat, quickly looking back at her plate, pretending to focus on her food.
Draco shifted, clearing his throat as well. The tension broke as he resumed eating, his tone lighter now. “Have you studied for the History of Magic exam yet? Binns’ tests are usually mind-numbing, but I hear this one’s about Goblin treaties, which makes it even worse.”
Maria nodded, still feeling warmth in her cheeks. “Yeah, I’ve been reviewing. It’s tedious, but I’ll manage.”
Neither of them noticed the flush on their own faces as they returned to their conversation, both grateful for the distraction, neither quite ready to acknowledge the subtle shift between them.