"Player 096, eliminated."

"Well... that's two panels down," Nico drawled, his tone blasé after Cedric disappeared through a shattering of glass with a shout. "Just sixteen more to go."

I felt sick. And looking at the players before me, their faces literally green, it seemed I wasn't the only one.

Tracey went next, her scream echoing through the arena as the first glass panel she jumped on shattered beneath her bare feet.

"Player 308, eliminated."

No one looked down. It was impossible to. Besides, you didn't need to to know that below lay the smashed bodies of Cedric and Tracey. No one could survive a fall like that.

But then again, I suppose that was the whole point.

Trying to ignore the cold horror that had infiltrated my bones, I gingerly reached out a shaking hand and tentatively touched the arm of the player in front of me.

Padma whirled around, shooting me such an intense look that it shocked me.

"What?!" She spat. "Can't you see I'm trying to concentrate? Or do you want us all to fucking die in here?"

Behind me, I heard the unmistakable growl coming from a certain white-blond haired Slytherin, reminding me strongly of a werewolf. I did not know whether to find his protectiveness endearing or just plain annoying.

"Pads," I said, unable to keep the tremor of fear out of my voice. "Don't be this way-"

To my disconcertment, Padma threw her head back in mock laughter. "I'm sorry - would you prefer it if we hugged? Or played a little round of 'I Spy'?! Grow up, Alia. One of us needs to concentrate on surviving so that Parvati's death wasn't in vain. You just keep on screwing around like you always do and don't let a little thing like my sister's death spoil your fun."

Her harsh words were like a slap to my face.

"Our sister-" I corrected her, trying to ignore the tightening sensation in my throat, "-our sister's death."

"She died for me - not you. You have no right to call her that."

Hurt ripped through me as she turned away. I began to open my mouth to say something, but was stopped by a hand clamping firmly around my elbow.

"Leave it, Alia," Draco warned darkly from behind me. "This is not the time."

Resigned, tired and hungry, I did not argue. But when was the fucking time? I shuddered as Anthony Goldstein decided to just go for it and run, his bellows pressing against my ear drums as he predictably fell, silencing him forever more.

"Player 062, eliminated."

*****

"C'mon, bitch. Move or I'll push you myself."

A small, frightened whimper left Leanne's lips as Goyle growled at her from behind. She was frozen in fear, having forgotten which glass panels Anthony had stepped on.

I wanted to shout at Goyle to leave her be, but he had a point. If she did not get moving then we would all be dead.

"For fuck's sake," Draco muttered behind me. I glanced back to see him agitatedly push his hand through his white-blond hair, causing it to fall messily back across his eyes.

Our gaze met briefly, his Adam's apple bobbing prominently in his throat.

"He went to the left!" Isobel called out helpfully, drawing my attention back to the bridge. "He took the left pane."

However, others started bellowing that he had gone right, and I watched as Leanne's face fell, her eyes wild with panic. She looked to Isobel again, her breaths shallow and trembling. "Are- are you sure?"

Isobel nodded.

Taking her word, Leanne foolishly jumped.

"Player 021, eliminated."

Turned out, Anthony had went right, after all.

As Goyle moved forward and too plummeted to his death ("Player 279, eliminated."), others before me began to jump onto the bridge.

With Roger now taking the lead, his death imminent, it was Padma's turn to hop onto the first glass panel. I watched as she landed on the tempered glass, breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't fall through.

I shakily slipped off my shoes and walked to the edge of the platform, trying so hard not to look down.

"Please be careful, Alia," Draco murmured behind me, his voice desperate... panicked.

I glanced back over my shoulder, my heart in my throat at the anxious look upon his face. He slowly reached out a hand and gently squeezed my fingers, his skin clammy against mine.

And, although we both flinched at the sound of Roger's body smashing against the ground ("Player 244, eliminated."), our gaze remained fixed upon the other, the intensity of our feelings bubbling to the surface.

Shaking, I let my hand fall away from his and turned towards the now vacant panels in front of me. Left, or right? My eyes darted quickly between the two, panic making my brain freeze. Fuck... I couldn't remember which one was the tempered glass.

Padma turned her head, an amused smirk twitching at her lips. "It's the left one, you dumb arse."

I hesitated. Could I trust her?

"She's right," Draco said quietly behind me, his voice the tone of surprise. "Take the left and get it together."

Knowing I had no choice but to trust, I took a leap of faith... and jumped.

I nearly wept with relief when I did not fall through and the glass remained sturdy.

However, up ahead, Theo did precisely that, the echo of his terrified shouts as he went though the glass making me convulse.

"Player 151, eliminated."

Trying not to look at the time which was quickly slipping away, I followed Padma, hopping from one pane to the next, each jump ending with the reassuring thud of my feet on solid glass, causing me to breathe sharply with relief.

Every now and then, I would look back to make sure Draco and Nico were still behind me, both of them offering me brief, reassuring nods as I did so.

"You'll make it," Padma muttered up ahead of me as we waited for Isobel to pluck up the courage to move onwards.

I wasn't sure who she was talking to until her head slowly turned and her dark eyes pierced into mine. "You always do, Alia. Never mind the rest of us... never mind Panav."

I blinked. "Panav?"

"Doesn't the name ring a bell, little sister?"

"No." I swallowed, recalling what Draco had said the previous night. "Why should it?"

"You want to know?" An eerie smile curved at her lips. "Come here and let me tell you. Come here and let me tell you about our brother."

"Brother?" I felt dizzy, confused, with no idea what the fuck was happening. "But... I- what are you talking about?"

"Don't listen to her, Alia," Draco hissed behind me. "You need to concentrate on staying alive."

A wild sort of look flitted over Padma's face as, up ahead, Isobel went crashing through a glass panel with a scream of terror.

"Player 360, eliminated."

Slowly, Padma lifted up a hand and slowly crooked a finger, beckoning for me to join her. "Come, little sister... I want to let you in on a little secret."

"Don't." Draco pleaded. "Don't trust her."

I was momentarily distracted by Cormac and Lavender having some kind of lovers tiff up ahead, causing Harry to tut loudly, every now and then looking down pointedly at his wrist despite there being no watch there.

It looked as though it was going to be a while.

As Cormac yelled at Lavender that she was an ugly old bitch, I decided to go for it, and leaped towards my sister, her hands immediately reaching out to steady me as I landed on the glass panel in front of her.

For a beautiful moment, it was as though we were back in the playground, with Padma having saved me from those terrible boys on the roundabout.

There is no better friend than a sister. And there is no better sister than you.

"Pads," I breathed, not being able to help but smile up at her, my love for her genuine and unconditional.

But rather than return my smile, her fingers, which were still clutching my upper arms, began to dig fiercely into my flesh, making my eyes water.

"You were never good enough," she hissed, every word filled with venom as she pressed her mouth against my ear. "You were never meant to be."

Panic tore through me as she began to try and wrestle me over, my footing slipping beneath me. Ahead of us, Cormac and Lavender went crashing themselves through a pane of glass, with Lavender's manic laughter drowning out Cormac's frightened cries.

"Players 212 and 322, eliminated."

Desperately trying to regain my balance, I dug my feet determinedly against the pane and attempted to shake Padma off me.

"Stop- you're going to make me fall!"

"That's kind of the plan," she sneered, pushing her face right into mine, her fierce breath hitting my skin. "If I can do it to Parvati, then I can do it to you, too."

I froze, looking up in wide eyed horror. "You killed her?"

Wildness flashed in Padma's eyes, her expression cold, calculating and like a monster. "She wanted us to die together! The fool!"

I felt nothing but red hot anger - and, in that split second, I had never hated anyone more.

So, with as much force as I could, I drew back my head and spat forcefully in her face.

Shocked, she relented her hold on me, but the moment she let go, she lost her balance, her mouth forming a silent 'O' as her eyes met mine, her arms flailing wildly in the air as her entire body began to topple backwards.

Time seemed to move in slow motion, and, at first, I was too stunned to react. But, snapping back to my senses, I realised I couldn't lose her, could not possibly let her die, for I loved her too much.

Because she was, and forever will be, my sister.

"Padma!" I screamed, reaching out to grab her.

However, my fingers grappled at nothing but air. She was there, and then she wasn't.

I was too late.

I mashed my palms tightly against my ears, but it still was not enough to prevent me from hearing the inevitable splat of her body as flesh and bones hit the ground, breaking every part of my flawed, yet beautiful, sister.

Sinking down to my knees, a silent scream stuck in my throat, the ringing silence that followed being broken only by the cold and callous voice of the announcer.

"Player 055, eliminated."

*****