BITTERSWEET TRAGEDY◦VIKTOR KRUM

TWENTY THREE

       

TWENTY THREE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

●

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

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