Dark Paradise

Chapter Thirty-Two: Riddle Me This

It wasn't like Cordelia to be so nervous. Fiddling fingers, nervous murmurs and anxious thoughts had never plagued her as much as they did that afternoon, but the brunette couldn't do much but hide behind a crumbling mask of confidence. There weren't many who noticed her facade and fewer paid heed to the Hogwarts champion, but Cordelia couldn't help but think the room's eyes were rested on her.

It felt like the day she was sorted, except she couldn't decipher whether the pressure was lesser or more.

"It's going to be fine."

Lia rolled her eyes but didn't dare turn towards the side as she continued down the Banquet Hall.

"Easy for you to say when the room isn't subjecting you to crude judgement."

Orion chuckled at his sister's words as he continued following her down the centre of the hall. For once the younger Black chose not to return his sister's impudence but Cordelia wasn't sure if she appreciated or despised the sudden change.

Even if her brother wasn't of much use, Cordelia had to admit he had efficiently taken her mind off of the rampant hippogriffs zooming through her stomach.

That distraction, however, was short-lived as she finally took her place beside Tom, ignoring the gaze sent her way.

"Wizards and witches, it is my pleasure to announce the first task for the Triwizard Tournament!!

Madame Maxime's words drew a series of applause from the crowd before them, the sound slowly but surely making Cordelia feel nauseous.

"The champions will now faint and awaken in the location of the first task while I set some ground rules."

Cordelia didn't have much time to process the situation and couldn't do much except suddenly feel very aware of the French professors surrounding them. For the first time since she stood beside him, Cordelia chose to turn towards her right and lock her gaze with Tom's.

The confusion swimming through his brown pools weirdly calmed her as Cordelia turned back to the front, sending a questioning gaze towards Dumbledore. Madame Maxime didn't seem to comprehend the champions' unease as she turned on her heel, smiling at the six teenagers with the most typical French smile Cordelia could think of.

"It won't hurt-" her statement was cut off as the Beaxubaton faculty sent fainting spells towards each champion, causing the crowd to gasp,

"much."

Cordelia mustered a final gaze towards the Slytherins clustered near the front before she gave into the spell, Orion's concerned gaze being the last thing she saw.

There were a lot of situations Cordelia thought she would wake up in.

Her first thought was the lake near the palace. The thought itself had caused a shiver to roll down her spine as she imagined the freezing water and slips of ice that would encompass her body as she bobbed up and down the lake. It was enough for Cordelia to grasp bits of the ice under her body, reassuring herself that while her circumstance might be as cold and dreadful as the lake, at least she wasn't soaked.

The ice, while remotely comforting, also triggered Cordelia's senses, causing her to contemplate the first task.

Icy walls surrounded her, their glistening forms as solid as Beauxbatons' pillars. The walls weren't very relieving, so she flipped her gaze towards the ground, noticing something that could possibly cost her the Tournament.

In her tardiness, Cordelia had wasted precious time simply thinking of the task rather than doing it. The thought itself caused her to flinch as she mulled over what her parents would say in such a situation. Devils Snare crawled up her legs, one vine going as far as her knee with several others following after it.