Secrets Shared

Chapter 1: Ravenclaw Girls, Rumours Pearls

Padma Patil stretched her arms up to the ceiling and leant back in her seat. Her long dark hair was tied up in a plait and she wore a simple black skirt with a blue shirt. Around her the compartment was filled with chatter from her four best friends, Maya Lukes, Samantha Bridge, Emma Hart and Kiki Spratt. Her eyes were closed lazily.

"I had the most brilliant summer," Kiki said excitedly.

"Did you..." Padma looked at her friend with a smile on her face. All five girls were fourteen and of Ravenclaw house, which was why they were friends. They shared a dormitory, they shared secrets. They were all very close and had become this in only four years.

"Yes, and Daddy heard the most brilliant rumour." Kiki leant forwards in her seat. Her father was a very rich wizard who (like Lucius Malfoy) knew a lot about what happened at the Ministry.

They all leant forwards in their seats, expectantly.

"Well," she grinned, "the Triwizard Tournament is happening this year at Hogwarts!"

"No way!"

"Yes, its going to happen, apparently - I'm so looking forward to it!"

They chattered excitedly over this news until the sky darkened and the door slid back to reveal a pretty prefect with black ringlets and blue eyes, wearing the Ravenclaw tie, jumper and crest.

"You three," she said importantly, "put on your school uniform now."

"Hey Alicia," Emma beamed, smiling at her stepsister. "Have you heard the rumour?"

"I'm a prefect, Em," Alicia smiled, "I hear lots of rumours when I'm doing a patrol."

"Of course you do," Padma said, shooting her warning look at Emma. "Ignore her...she's gone a bit..." she crossed her eyes and put her finger to her forehead and moved it round and round. Alicia giggled and left them.

"Don't tell a prefect," Kiki hissed.

"Come on, lets put our robes on. No, make that entire uniform." Padma giggled and they all joined in. Using her wand, Padma closed the curtains at the window and locked the sliding door. A talented young witch, Padma knew more spells than a lot of the Hufflepuff sixth years.

They quickly changed into their uniform and robes. Padma took the ornamental flower clip from her hair. Maya wiped off the lipgloss on her mouth. Samantha (with a roll of her eyes) took off her rings and necklace. Emma put her hands into her pockets and took out a tissue and giggled, and Kiki flopped back in her seat and slipped off her trainers. They all put away their usual clothes and sat in their seats, thinking over the excitement of the idea that the infamous Triwizard Tournament was taking place at Hogwarts this year.

"I wonder if we can take part?" Padma asked.

"Daddy doesn't think so," Kiki said. "He heard something about age restrictions."

"That's stupid," Maya sighed. "Really. Really. Stupid."

"Our Maya...always so...straight talking."

Maya rolled her eyes. She was a slim girl with reddish hair that hung to her shoulders, and her eyes were hazel. She always spoke the truth - it was like some hidden thing that she couldn't tell a lie.

Padma giggled at Kiki's remark and lolled back in her seat. With a flick of her wand she let the curtains go back and the door unlocked. Hogwarts could be seen clearly.

"I'm looking forward to this year," Padma told her friends. "Aren't you?"

The carriages picked them up. None of the girls could see the mysterious Thestrals that pulled the carriages along - not that any of them wanted to.

They managed to get a carriage to themselves and shut the door before Luna Lovegood could get in. The carriage set off.

"We're getting nearer and nearer to finding out whether this is just a rumour!" Samantha said excitedly.

Kiki rolled her eyes.

The carriages stopped outside the school and they made their way into the entrance hall. It was very warm and brightly lit and welcoming. They walked to the doors to the dining hall and pushed them open and strode confidently to their table and sat down. Padma ignored the few hundred eyes of younger boys watching her. She already knew from what her friends told her that boys often said that she and her twin sister, Parvati, were the best-looking girls in the whole fourth-year.

They sat there chatting as the dining hall slowly filled. The Sorting began. Dumbledore had the food appear. They ate.

At the end of the night it was confirmed that the Triwizard Tournament was happening that year.

After the feast, the five girls were in their nightgowns and sat on their beds, cross-legged.

Padma dreamt of the seventh-year boy, David Harson.

Maya dreamt about Cedric Diggory.

Samantha dreamt of Harry Potter.

Emma dreamt about treacle tart.

Kiki dreamt about the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.

They were all still awake.

"Harry Potter," Samantha said dreamily. "Did you see his face when we were told that only seventeen's and over could take part?"

"No, only you, Sam," Padma giggled. "Because you're obsessed..."

"Oh, shut up, Ms. Harson," Samantha retorted.

They all giggled as a prefect entered the dormitory. "You're meant to be asleep!" she snapped.

They all pulled faces and tugged the curtains round their beds and pulled the sheets over them. While the others slept, Padma stayed awake, dreaming...