In Servitude to the Dark || Tom Riddle

𝙊𝙛𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙒𝙚 𝙂𝙤

November 15, 1994

It was two weeks before the First Task when both Aster and Ron were summoned out of their Herbology class for the Weighing of the Wands. On the way to the castle, Aster sent out a Patronus message for her lawyer, practically startling Ron to death.

"Why in Merlin's name do you have a cobra for a Patronus?" he demanded, clearly not remembering the cobra's appearance last year when the dementors attacked the quidditch game.

Aster gave him a withering look, not bothering to answer. She was quite fed up with Ron's attitude. Ron was operating under the delusion that in competing in the First Task, he and Aster were best mates again-like they were some kind of team defending Hogwarts honor against the other two Champions.

The timing was perfect. Just as they passed by the Black's office, Andromeda was there to greet Aster. She gave Aster one look and tsked. "Oh, this won't do at all. Did you just come from Herbology? Of course, you did." With a flick of her wand, gone were the dirt caked on her shoes and the grass stains on her robes, and another flick parted her bangs to expose her scar.

"Thanks, Andy." Aster grinned sheepishly.

Seeing this, Ron self-consciously brushed down his robes, but only managed to smear the dirt on his palms into his clothes.

When they arrived at the conference room, where the Weighing of the Wands ceremony was held, they found Ollivander, Dumbledore, Fleur, and her Headmistress, and some reporters were already present. Krum and his Headmaster hadn't arrived yet, having to come all the way from the Black Lake.

"Aster! Rita Skeeter is here!" Ron hissed excitedly, pointing none too discretely at the woman who was looking at them rather ravenously. "Mum reads her column all the time!"

"Oh, so that's Rita," Aster responded rather disinterestedly before striding to the other Champions, leaving a flustered Ron behind.

At that moment, Rita swooped in, her eyes locked onto her prize. "Aster, so glad to see you!" she said, sounding like they were old friends. "I can call you Aster, can't I?" Before Aster even got a chance to open her mouth, Rita plowed on. "I was just wondering what made you decide to compete..."

Aster wasn't paying much attention to the woman, but at the quill that had begun writing on its own... "Aster Potter, the youngest champion, stands alone lost and frail among Victor Krum and Fleur Delacour..."

"That will be quite enough, thank you." Andromeda came up and neatly plucked the quill from the parchment, causing it to splatter some ink.

Rita sputtered indignantly. "I was invited here to cover..."

"...Cover the Weighing of the Wands Ceremony," Andromeda interrupted. "Not for personal interviews, and seeing as how my client is still underage, I suggest you get her guardian's permission first." Then she pointed her wand at the parchment, causing it to go up in flames.

Rita humphed, but then her sharp eyes landed on her next victim, and this one was standing all alone, looking quite clueless. Smelling blood, a shark-like grin split her face and she pulled out another of her Quick-Quote's Quill from her crocodile skinned purse. "Mr. Weasley!" she called out. "I would like a word with you..."

Aster watched with morbid curiosity as Ron perked up and eagerly strode forward. "I feel like I should warn him, or something," Aster muttered.

"Eh, let ze boy learn," Fleur said, glancing at Ron with a rather contemptuous look.

"Right."

Of course, the other two champions were aware of why Ron was allowed to compete, and they simply sat back to enjoy the entertainment. In fact, Aster had bonded with the other two champions over Ron's unfortunate circumstance. They all found it hilarious how Ron strutted around the school declaring to all who would listen that he'd talked the judges into letting him compete as an 'Honorary Champion.' The funny thing was, some people actually believed him.