I am finally updating, after 2 long months. I'm sorry. But my Writer's Block is finally gone for good! (I hope!)

Hope you enjoy the new chapter, in which there is a dream sequence where every part is symbolism. Dedication to Atlantari because a) she's sort of the dedication default, b) she's an amazing writer and c) she helps me with writing. Also, if you're interested (or want to stalk me and see what my face looks like), I have a Tumblr account - http://hermiione.co.vu - please feel free to have a look :)

Please vote and comment if you like the chapter! xx

***

I was standing in an unrecognisable field, alone. The sky was dark, and clouds spread across the sky. But it wasn't raining - no, the clouds were forming a shape. A skull with black eyes and a moving tail...

The Dark Mark. The shape that was tattooed onto my father's arm in deep red. The same shape that had appeared in the sky on the Quidditch World Cup.

I looked up at the eyes of the skull, and noticed that they were glowing. No, something inside them was glowing. A bird. A bright red bird, flying out of the eye of the skull - it was a phoenix.

What was something so good doing somewhere so bad and deserted like this place?

The phoenix flew down to the ground and landed in front of me, staring at me with beady black eyes. "You must choose," it hissed, and three figures sprung up around me. "Choose, or you will die."

To my left was Blaise Zabini, to my right was Alex Johnson and a short distance away was Anja Snape, my sister. How was I supposed to choose?!

"I can't choose!" I exclaimed, but it came out as more of a whisper, somehow.

"You must choose," the phoenix repeated. "Choose or die."

"Then I will die," I responded, hoping that my death would be quick.

The three people standing around me disappeared, and in Anja's place, slowly advancing towards me, was Theo. Theodore Nott. My boyfriend.

But as he got closer, I could see that something was wrong. His eyes were a glowing red, and he had a Dark Mark on his arm glowing the same colour. He was a Death Eater?

"Theo, no!" I gasped, and glanced up as the Dark Lord's mark fell from the sky.

Suddenly, I was lying on the ground, my arm in excruciating pain, and I was screaming.

Theo reached my fallen body and whispered, "Choose or die. Disloyalty must be punished." Then he pointed his wand at me and intoned, "Avada Kedavra".

The world was screaming and everything went black and then all of a sudden, I was lying on a hard wooden floor.

I opened my eyes slowly. Evangeline and Pansy were shaking me, trying to get me to do something. Anja was on her bed, staring at me in barely disguised horror. As for Millicent, she appeared to be still be asleep.

"What 'appened?" I mumbled. "I was having a dream and then -"

"We heard you fall onto the floor, so Pans and I got up and lit a candle, but you were still asleep," Evangeline explained.

"Then you started screaming," Pansy added with a wince. "So we tried to wake you up, but you refused."

"...Oh," was all I could say. "Uh, what's the time?"

"You're wearing a watch, sister," Anja blurted. 

Evangeline looked at me, wide-eyed.  

I glanced down at my wrist - so I was. Why was Anja talking to me now? The bottom dropped out of my stomach, but suddenly I was absolutely fine. I got to my feet, eyes never leaving Anja's.

"Yes, sister. I am wearing a watch. But I do, in fact, forget things two minutes after I've woken up. And I forgot that I was wearing a watch when I woke up on the floor screaming. I'm allowed to make mistakes. So unless you have an apology, shut your mouth and go back to sleep."

Anja didn't shut her mouth. In fact, it was wide open as she stared at me. Then, with a heavy sigh, she lay back down.

Cautiously, Pansy got up and blew out the candle as I got back into bed.

We all lay in the darkness for a while, but I don't think anyone fell asleep for a long time.

(It had been 3:17 AM.)

***

Waking up a few hours later, no-one dared look anyone else in the eye. Due to last night's drama, the atmosphere at the Slytherin table that morning seemed a little tense. I overheard Daphne whisper to Pansy, "Did Anja Pansé kill someone last night?" This was probably because I kept glaring over at my sister and Evangeline was looking over at Anja like she was a bomb about to explode.

Today happened to be the day of the 1st task of the Triwizard Tournament, meaning everyone was giving Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter their full attention.

Draco, a short distance along, asked anyone if they wanted to buy a badge that he had created. Pansy bought one, so I got a closer look at it. It read "Potter Stinks", then the badge switched over to 'Support Cedric Diggory: The REAL Hogwarts Champion".

Since Harry and I shared a (albeit dead) mother, I politely declined a badge.

After breakfast, we flooded out onto the grounds to watch the game, or task, or whatever it was. We soon found out that it was a to face a rather vicious dragon in order to steal a golden egg, which somehow contained a clue to the 2nd task. The next task wasn't scheduled to happen until after the Christmas break.

Throughout the event, I sat with Theodore on my left and Blaise on my right. Anja and Alex sat a short distance away - Alex shot me an apologetic glance as he sat down.

The air was buzzing with excitement the whole way through. Even the more 'refined' students of Beauxbatons Academy were cheering and yelling excitedly for Fleur Delacour.

The hours went by slowly, as all four champions faced and succeeded against their dragons - each one was different - ending in Harry, who Summoned his Firebolt and used that against the fierce Hungarian Horntail.

When Harry started flying, Blaise bent over to whisper in my ear, "I hope you're never going to lose in Quidditch to Gryffindor again. Honestly."

I just rolled my eyes and shrugged. At this point, I was focused on keeping positive, instead of focusing on being better than everyone else. Which was very Hufflepuff of me, but I needed more Hufflepuffs in my life.

What with my imminent joining up with the Death Eaters, I had more important things to worry about than Quidditch and the Triwizard Tournament.

***

Back in the Common Room, everyone was relaxing. We didn't really have anything much to celebrate, since the two Hogwarts champions were in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, while the champions from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had gone to celebrate separately.

A kid - first year, probably - in too-large school robes walked over to Anja with a terrified expression on his face. "Are you Jade Evans?" he squeaked.

She turned from her conversation with Daphne and Pansy to shake her head at the child in irritation. "Nah, she's over there. The one with the red hair." She waved in my direction without looking at me.

I raised my eyebrows. The one with the red hair? Really?

The 1st year came over to me and said, "Professor Snape gave me this note to give to you." He handed me a neatly folded piece of paper with 'Jade Evans' written on it spidery, scrawly handwriting.

I unfolded it quickly and messily with a muttered "thanks".

Jade Evans

Please see me in my office tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 PM. I have several important things to talk to you about.

Severus Snape

I sighed. I didn't know what this meeting was about, but knowing my father, he would probably turn it into an Occlumency lesson. And I did not enjoy those. I figured that I would find out tomorrow and there was no point in worrying about it, but that didn't make me any less concerned.

Anyway, other than all those Death Eater issues, I had several things to look forward to. Food, friends, being with Theodore...

And of course, the rest of the Triwizard Tournament.