The first task was fast approaching and it was the welcome feast for the judges of the tournament. Everyone was buzzing to figure out who it was, the Weasley twins had even been taking bets on it. Everyone went quiet when the judges walked in to take their seats on the top table.

The first was Ludo Bagman, a sports commentator someone said, the second was Barty Crouch, Sirius wasn't sure who he was, the third the minister for magic Cornelius Fudge and the fourth...

It couldn't possibly... It was Aro. Sirius' heart stopped, did Aro know what he and Elias had planned, that Sirius had no intention of being on his side? Or was he here just to flout his power.

"Sirius?" Hannah hissed across the table. "What is he doing?"

"I don't know, I don't... Merlin." Sirius felt his chest get tight, his lungs were bringing in more oxygen, yet he couldn't breathe.

"Sirius, who is that man? Do you know him?" Cedric asked with a frown, Sirius just nodded. His breathing was laboured, panic was building up inside him.

"That's Aro, haven't we told you about him?" Justin took over, seeing that Sirius was in no position to explain himself.

"We've heard bits and pieces." Leah nodded, "Sirius are you okay?"

"I need to get out." Sirius muttered, he was gasping for air, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"Hey, hey breathe okay." Cedric, who was sat beside Sirius told him, his hands clasped firmly on the boys shoulder. "He's not gonna hurt you. Breathe with me okay." Cedric took a deep breathe, urging Sirius to do so with him. "And out." He breathed with Sirius until he had calmed down.

"So that's him, this Aro you're always talking about." Leah commented. Ernie nodded, watching Cedric take Sirius into his arms with a guarded expression.

"He's the one who keeps turning up, who is making Sirius work for him?" Cedric asked, Sirius leaned his head against his shoulder, his breathing still heavy, but he had calmed down.

"How much do you know?" Justin asked.

"Just bits and pieces, we never wanted to ask directly, so it's more of what you were talking about." Leah explained. "We gathered it makes Sirius uncomfortable to talk about." Sirius nodded at that.

"I can't believe it." Sirius murmured. "I can't believe he's bring that bold."

"I have half a mind to tell him what I think of him." Cedric muttered mutinously. Both his arms were still wrapped tightly around Sirius. The Potter boy put his hand on Cedric's arm.

"Don't Ced, you can't win against him." He said gently. "Just don't."

"Honestly, what a dick." Ernie said angrily.

"Ern! Language!" Justin exclaimed.

"Oh we were all thinking it."

^^^
"He said what?" Hannah asked, Cedric had just passed on some information Harry had given him about the first task.

"The first task is dragons." Cedric repeated, a bit wary of how all six of them were staring at him.

"You have to battle a dragon." Leah said with shock. "How the hell do you do that?"

"You could stun it, but you'd need so many." Sirius mused. "Do you have a plan?"

"I don't know, I'll need to distract it, that's for sure, but how do you distract a dragon?" Cedric asked.

"I don't know, I assume they're quite big." Sirius nodded.

"Huge." Leah nodded. "You definitely need some sort of fire defence."

"As for a distraction, you could do a patronus that might distract it, or make something happen that's more interesting than you, it might go for that." Edward said, he was extremely clever and if they needed advice for magic he was the one they would go to.

"A patronus, that must be difficult." Justin commented.

"As long as I think of something really happy, I should be alright." Cedric said with a sideways glance at Sirius, who didn't notice.

"So when is the task?" Leah asked.

"Two days from now." Cedric replied. He let out a huge sigh. "It suddenly seems so real."

"You'll be alright Ced." Leah said comfortingly. "You're a great wizard."

"Yeah, you're awesome." Hannah added.

"Thanks guys, I feel a lot better." Cedric grinned at them. "You'd better be cheering me on."

"What else would we be doing?" Sirius asked. "Of course we will."

"Thanks guys."

^^^
"Are you nervous?" Sirius asked, he was lying in Cedric's bed beside him. Across the room both Leah and Edward were asleep, so he had to keep his voice down. Cedric was tracing shapes into the palm of his hand with his finger. "Ah Ced that tickles."

"A little bit." Cedric didn't stop, only smirking in the way he always did, glancing sideways at the boy. "But I'll be okay."

"You have to fight a dragon Ceddie." Sirius pointed out, pulling his hand back and rolling onto his side so he could see the older boy, who smiled at his nickname.

"And I will fight it." Cedric replied, turning his head to look him. "Don't worry about me Sirius."

"Of course I worry about you, I can't even sleep without you." Sirius shook his head. Cedric smiled softly and raised his hand to the soft skin of Sirius's cheek.

"And I'll be right here tomorrow night." He told him gently. "Just like always."

"Promise?" Sirius offered Cedric his pinkie finger.

"You're such a child Sirius." Cedric scoffed.

"Promise?" Sirius repeated, not moving his hand. Cedric rolled his eyes and linked his pinkie finger with the other boys.

"I promise." Cedric smiled, pulling Sirius closer to him. "Now can we go to sleep?"

"I suppose so." Sirius smirked.

"Please?"

"Okay."