Another riddle, Adelena thought in despair. And an ogre.

There seemed to be an affinity between the tournament, riddles, and dangerous magical creatures. The papyrus had appeared in a flare of blue light after the Yule Ball, revealing information about her second task. It had taken her a week to even bother opening the letter, busy with discovering more of Hogwarts. She regretted it now, cursing her own laziness.

The first part of the riddle was easy enough to decipher. There was an ogre inside the Shrieking Shack and it would attack Hogwarts on the day of the solar eclipse. A small acrimonious part of her wondered what would happen if she simply didn't appear, if she simply let the ogre run loose. Already her over-active imagination began to form the scene. Snickering at the thought of students knocking each other out of the way, she re-focused on the second part of the riddle.

She might as well have procrastinated longer. The four lines were as clear as muddy water. It was slightly unfair, in her opinion, that it took a person with a well-known history of Hogwarts to solve the second verse. They had to be connected, which meant if she learned about the Shrieking Shack, she would learn about the mysterious tree.

She was alone now, she realized. Still, she called the name in a whisper. "Coorery?"

A sound as sharp as a whip cracked throughout the air, but there was no dramatic visual to match it. Instead, standing in front of her was a bowing house elf, wearing rags for clothing.

"Hello Mistress," Coorery squeaked. "Coorery has been wondering when Mistress would need him. Master talks much of Mistress in the Triwizard Tournament. He is very proud, Mistress."

Her father was proud. She didn't dwell on the notion long, though her heart swelled. "Can you go to Father's library and see if he has anything about the Shrieking Shack?"

Coorery bowed again, his long nose just slightly brushing the floor, before he disapparated with another crack. It wasn't cheating, she told herself. Adelena would still be the one to pass the task, the one to find out what to do. Besides, the rules had never said that she couldn't have help. Not that it mattered. She'd already had Scorpius's help in the first task.

Hopefully Coorery would return soon. Adelena mused at the prospect of simply winging it as she made her way to the Great Hall for lunch. No doubt the Headmistress would be rather displeased. A plan would be needed if she were to win.

The Great Hall had been returned to its usual state, the four tables back in their typical states, candles floating above the students. Among the sea of black, red and blue robes were scattered around. Spotting a familiar lock of blond hair, she took her seat underneath the green banner.

"You've got the clue, have you analyzed the riddle?"

Adelena didn't bother asking how he knew. It seemed his first automatic response to anyone was to scrutinize them. "I'm feeling good, Scorpius. And how are you?"

Scorpius stared at her.

"It was a joke," she said.

"I'm well aware." But he didn't stop staring.

"Fine," she muttered. Simply talking about it wouldn't do any harm, she decided. Besides, the chatter was more than enough to hide their conversation.

"Ogre on the eclipse. I'm not sure about the second verse, though."

"I assume I'm past the stage where I must accidentally bump into you to steal the clue."

"Yes," said Adelena, taking a portion of the shepard's pie. "But I'm not going to give you the riddle."

"Because you want to interpret it yourself," said Scorpius. "And your conscious is against me for giving you the answer in the first task."

"Precisely," Adelena said, trying to shovel the food in her mouth as fast as possible.

"If you are trying to sicken yourself with rations of shepard's pie, I assure you that it will fail. The school healer has magic, you do realize."

"Why aren't you eating?" she asked, continuing to pile food on her plate.

Scorpius scoffed. "Eating interferes with my brainwork."

"I need to go practice spells, as much as I can. I've never faced an ogre before."

"If you had, that would be rather worrying. You're a simple person. Dull, easily foreseen. That bracelet, on the other hand, is rather extravagant."

Count to ten. 1...2...3...They were friends. Friends put up with each other. The words had hurt her pride, that was all. It wasn't as if she could disagree. Everything she did was predictable, but she was trying, at least. Trying not to be boring, trying to think outside the box. Pulling her sleeve down to hide the Christmas present, she replied, "Don't be ridiculous."

"Me? Never." Scorpius smiled.

Adelena stood up, heading to the library. Scorpius followed, and they walked past the stares that followed them. The hallways were empty, many of the students busy with lunch, but a few stragglers wandered around.

Coorery had no trouble at all finding a book about the Shrieking Shack, a fact she learned moments before entering the library door. She nearly fell when he appeared in front of her, causing her cheeks to flush a bright red. Scorpius raised a perfectly-shaped eyebrow.

Holding a rather thick book, Coorery held it out to her with wrinkled arms. "I found it, Mistress," he said. "It was the only one!"

"Thanks, Coorery," she said, grabbing the book. It had an ornate cover, heavier than she had expected. The brown leather that bound it was nearly falling apart. Golden letters, written in a cursive font, labeled the book "Hogwarts, A History."

The eyebrow settled back in place. "You have a house elf?"

She couldn't keep it hidden, but she could keep it quiet. "Yes," she said, her tone implying the hidden message. Shut up.

"Diamond Bracelet. House elf. Pureblood. You're rather well-off, aren't you? And you hid the elf because you don't want people to know wealthy." A frown tugged at the edge of his features.

The librarian crouched behind the counter, an old woman with skin decorated with wrinkles and hair the color of steel. She shot a glare at them both, widening her eyes for emphasis. They were the only ones present, making their voices far louder in the silence. Adelena shot her a winning smile before hissing a response. "Yes. I'm rich. You don't have to analyze everything. Some things are just...things."

Scorpius followed her as she browsed the Magical Creatures section, ignoring her last statement. "I would know if you were rich. Rich people tell others to heighten their erroneous sense of accomplishment. You didn't."

"Well, you know what they say," she said, grabbing at least five books at once. "Egoism is obesity of the head. You can't always be right."

Scorpius, in the process of having Adelena pile books in his arms, shook his head. A frown danced on his lips. "I'm always right. People are predictable, mundane, normal. You were suppose to be boring."

"Stereotypical bastard," she said, but she was smiling. She collectively sat near the window, Scorpius on the other side of her.

Her smile fell when she saw the amount she had to read. Books had never been her friend. If anything, they were acquaintances. Adelena didn't dislike reading, but neither did she love it. The skill was easy, like breathing. She didn't love breathing.

Sighing, she opened 101 Magical Creatures (All You Need To Know!) and began to read.

***

The tournament was to take place before noon, due to the fact that the eclipse would happen around that time period. Adelena didn't pay any attention to the too-blue skies that hung above her, nor did she remember to smile at the crowd that had gathered at Hogwart's entrance. She'd spent hours slaving over words, but her anxiety only increased when she read of ogre's spell-safe skin, incredibly strength, and an odor powerful enough to cause fainting. The night before had been dedicated to books, rather than sleep, but that was all right. She always felt that she performed better under pressure.

The other champions stood beside her, fidgeting in front of the audience. Adelena's own hands were clenched behind her back, anxiousness flooding her mind. Each of them stood on their own silver pedestal, at the center of everyone's attention. Her eyes wandered, taking notice of the sea of students, every one of them excitedly chattering. Among them was a table where the judges sat behind. The table was made of stone, rather than wood, and the announcer was speaking to the Minister of Magic. The other headmistresses that were not her own silently held a conversation with each other. It was then she caught her headmistress's sharp glare.

Immediately she straightened her back, putting on a smile that suggested excitement. Ever so subtly, Professor Seracoth gave the whisper of a nod and the hint of a smile. Keeping her features stone, she watched as the announcer stood from the table. He was a rather large man, but jolly nevertheless. Today, he had worn a ludicrous amount of yellow, a beaming smile upon his face. He seemed more excited than anyone in the competition.

In a booming voice enhanced by magic, he yelled to the cheering crowd. "Welcome one, welcome all to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament!" Shouts, screams, and whistles bursted all around her. "The task will commence..." The champions tensed. He paused for dramatic effect. "Now!"

Sparks flew in the air, and the champions raced off. The other two champions raced outwards, but she turned and ran the opposite way. It'd take far too long to get to the Shrieking Shack on her own. The sounds of applause slowly began to fade away as Adelena raced back into Hogwarts. More specifically, the stables. She'd planned, making sure she knew the fastest route to the stables. By the time she had arrived in front of the locked door, she was winded.

"Alohomora," she said, pointing her wand at the lock. The door swung open, the sunlight illuminating horses the size of rhinos. Their dark eyes swung to her, sparkling with an intelligence that she'd never seen in an animal. In the darkness, their white coat seemed to radiate light. Saddles hung on the wall to her left, and brushes lay on her right. It'd take too long, she decided, to saddle one of them. Riding bareback would ache, but she could worry about that later.

"Hello."

One of the pegasi nickered, trotting up to her. The pegasus stretched its wings, showing a wingspan that was longer than her entire body. At least 20 feet long. It looked to her, as if waiting her command.

"I need to get to the Shrieking Shack, can you get me there?"

The pegusus seemed to nod, walking out into the bright sunlight. Hastily, Adelena closed the door behind her, locking it again. Already It seemed the pegasus could feel her anxiousness. It kneeled for her, then became still.

Climb on, it seemed to say.

Adelena approached, taking care not to step on the feathery wings. Holding the golden mane, she eased herself onto its back. Okay, she told herself. This isn't so bad.

The pegasus stood, throwing her off balance. Her hands flailed, encircling the horse's neck. It snorted at her, turning its head to look at her. If she could read thoughts, the horse surely would've said, Amateur.

"I'm not an amateur," she told it. "I'm new at this."

The horse swung its head back front. It was going to fly. She had barely understood, tightening her grip moments before it began to gallop. Rearing, it ran in a mad dash. With every step, she could feel tremors from the horse's hooves in the ground. The soil was no match for its hooves, leaving flying sods in it's wake. The stallion's head was extended, its ears back. The wings opened on both sides, making Adelena hold on tighter. A gust of air flattened the surrounding grasses.

Together, they began an ascent. The wings pumped air underneath them, raising them up. The speed of which they were going was faster than any magic carpet and more thrilling than facing the Naga. The horse's mane whipped itself into her face, but she could only laugh. Her own hair had come out of its neat ponytail, flying freely behind her. In minutes they were as high as the clouds, the horse's legs tucked beneath its stomach.

The feeling was exhilarating. Every one of her senses had peaked, making her more alert and feel more alive than ever. The air currents rushed against her robes, brushing her skin. The pegasus was flying nearly gliding, so even was her flight. Reaching one hand out, she touched the clouds; the water vapor trickled through her fingers.

Beneath her, she could see the entire castle and everyone in it. One champion had headed straight for a tree, while the other had cast some sort of spell. The judges had used magic to view all three of them. Waving in their general direction, she leaned her head into the horse's glossy neck. Her eyes stung, the wind biting. Landscapes passed underneath her as the horse headed towards the abandoned house in Hogsmeade. In mere minutes, they began a descent.

Slowly, the pegasus kept its wings open, gliding down. It touched the floor with a thump, sprinting until they stood in front of the building. The elation of flying had faded, leaving Adelena to experience the full pain of not using a saddle. Slowly, her legs aching, she slid down off the side. Adelena nearly fell, stumbling a bit rather than being graceful. Spring flowers waved at her, mockery of her clumsiness at the moment.

Merlin's beard. The books hadn't exaggerated about the scent of ogres. Even standing outside she could still smell what seemed like a combination of rotten eggs and smoke. Gagging slightly, she quickly thought of the bubble-head charm, casting the non verbal spell. The bubble appeared, slightly throwing off her perception. Taking a deep breath of the clean air, she silently opened the door to the shack.

A thrill rushed through her veins even as the cold wind kissed its way down her spine. The knowledge that she was the first to step inside since Harry Potter enhanced the adventure. Heart racing, she lit up her wand with another non-verbal spell. Lumos. Despite the sunlight that streamed in through the boarded windows, the interior was dark.

Raising her wand higher, she caught sight of green skin. She flicked her wand twice. Lumos Maxima. A brighter light flared from her wand, fully illuminating the sleeping ogre. It was both uglier and bigger than she had expected. The ogre's skin was lumpy, filled with warts, while its body was larger than even the pegasus outside. It lay flat on its back, the closed eyes directed straight at her.

Cautiously, she approached. Fortunately enough, the ogre was clothed, but only barely. The shirt and shorts it wore were both torn, turned brown from dirt. Briefly, she wondered if the judges had taken a wild ogre. She dismissed the thought just as quickly. They had probably borrowed it from a Magic Menagerie.

The eclipse, she knew, would happen soon. She had only planned until here. Her mind flashed, trying to think of ogre weaknesses. Instead, it only directed her to the story of an ogre eating human flesh. Wonderful, she thought to herself, still holding her wand high. With her senses on high alert, she noticed that the sunlight coming from the windows was fading away. The eclipse had come.

Almost as soon as the darkness had covered them, the ogre awoke. It can't see you, she told herself frantically. It can't see you. It can only hear you.

It's large nose flared. And smell you.

The ogre roared, apparently deciding there wasn't enough room to swing a kneazle. It stood, the roof creaking at the pressure that lifted it. Dust trickled from the wooden planks, raining down wooden boards on Adelena's head. She threw her hands up just in time, trying to stiffen her cry of pain at the cuts the chips left. Run. Run. Run. Her flight-or-flee sense overwhelmed everything else. She threw herself out the door, only moments before the entire roof collapsed onto the ogre.

Hoping beyond hope the collapse had stopped the ogre, and that her task was done, she scrambled to her feet to watch the Shack crumble. Adverse to her version of events, an even louder roar of outrage penetrated through the rubble. The ogre came out of the ruins, its immense feet leaving footprints on the delicate spring grass. Wooden powder had fallen atop its head and shoulders, the brown layer looking like the ogre had just emerged from the underneath the seashore. The ogre's head swung, its blind gaze meeting hers. And it charged.

***

The entire crowd gasped as Adelena ran. Professor Seracoth narrowed her eyes, concern for her champion kept to the minimal. The goblet wouldn't have chosen her if she hadn't been the best. Adelena continued to run, but the ogre was just as fast, if not more so. She'd have to outwit it if she had any chance at all. Think, Professor Seracoth tried to will Adelena to do so. Think, Miss Zenore.

Adelena paused, as if a new thought had just occurred. As they watched, she threw herself to the floor, covering herself with mud. Frantically, she waved her wand, causing the ground to literally fall upon her, completely submerging her in watery dirt.

"What on earth...?", asked the announcer. The reactions of the audience was much the same, confusion written clear on their faces.

"What is she doing?" Professor Atriz muttered.

"The ogre can't see," Professor Seracoth smiled. In the silence, her calm voice carried. "And Adelena just became invisible."

***

Adelena stiffened. Held her breath, even, and prayed that the ogre couldn't hear her rapid heartbeat. The ogre paused, stopping not three feet in front of her. The muck, however, seemed to have done its job well. The ogre tramped past her. Her task still had yet to be completed. Her mind, on the other hand, seemed to shut down. It took the most complex spells to kill an ogre, but she didn't need to kill it. She just needed to stop it. The most complex spells, she thought. Or the most simple.

A stunning spell. She'd have to aim it perfectly at the ogre's head. Taking a deep breath, she raised her wand, throwing caution to the winds. "Stupefy!" The red beam of light hit her target, causing the ogre to freeze. The spell would only have a limited effect, and wear off soon, she knew. Something more permanent, then.

She slowly shook of the silt on her wand, making her way to the front of the ogre. The mouth was open, the eyes frozen. Had she not been in such a dangerous position, she would've laughed. A sleep spell, if she were to stop it. A complex one.

"Spiritus noctis,

Da mihi auxilium meum corruptus,

Tolle bestia accessum ad terram de somno,

Manere in tenebras altum,

'Donec uelle iterum excitare."

A dark light began to creep from her wand, not a blast, but a trickle. The darkness began to envelope the ogre, little bits of the magic glimmering silver against the black. The spell faded away, seemingly seeped into the skin of the ogre. The ogre fell over, and began to snore.

Adelena let out a low laugh of relief. She'd done it.

Side Note:

The spell she used in English is:

Spirits of the Night,

Grant me help in my blight,

Sent this beast to the land of enternal sleep,

Where he shall remain in the darkness deep,

'Till I wish to wake him again.