Pick Your Poison | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Nine: Dancing Puzzle

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"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others"
-Pericles

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Monday October 18, 1943

Eleanor, Marcella, and Julius stood along the stone bridge, squeezing between the gaps in the dark columns as their guests arrived.

There was two weeks until the Champions were picked and Eleanor still debated whether or not she was up for the challenge. But she watched as the Durmstrang ship surfaced through the water and the Beauxbatons carriage fly down to the grounds and thought that regardless, it would be a competition that would go in the books.

"I can't believe this." Eleanor said, still amazed at the fact that there's a tournament taking place when both the Muggle and Wizard world were fighting their own wars. "You've got Hitler there and Grindelwald here but sure, let's pretend to be friends for a few months." she bitterly added, moving along with the rest of the students who made their way to the Great Hall.

"I heard their tolerance for the Dark Arts is truly frightening. They've got students carving Grindelwald's mark into their books and what not." Julius added, glancing over at Eleanor.

She didn't take her eyes off the water as she walked however. That symbol is one she wore around her neck. Her parents, Slytherin or not, would not have told her to wear this if it weren't for something more than that evil he spread.

The three entered Hogwarts and its torch lit corridor, passing a group of Slytherins that looked her up and down.
Eleanor met Adis's eyes who were still filled with a burning hatred and that gave her a satisfaction that put a smirk on her lips as she left the grumpy Slytherins in their corner.

They took their seats while Headmaster Dippet approached the gold, several tier statue that went from thin to wide and stood at least eight feel high.

Eleanor watched with curious eyes and could feel the intensity of this moment with the eagerness that radiated from everyone. Even she herself felt somewhat giddy to begin the tournament regardless of her views.

"To introduce the Tournament, we must first introduce our guests." Headmaster Dippet greeted, beckoning to the doors that opened. "First, the Beauxbaton Academy!"

Eleanor turned her head to the doors and in the spaced out isle, gentle blue coated girls filled the open floor. The lot of them gracefully entered and made their way down the isle, moving simultaneously in a ballerina like manner. Under their pointed hats was their long silky hair neatly tucked into braids and faces hidden but still vibrantly flawless. They sighed blissfully every few steps, casting out a hand to wave out towards either table.

"Look at them acting so fancy." Eleanor mocked, rolling her eyes, following their path towards their own table up ahead.

They made her standard skirt and sweater vest feel less sophisticated than she always thought it was.

"Don't be jealous." Julius teased, nudging her elbow. Eleanor shot him a glance and before she could speak, Headmaster Dippet then introduced the Durmstrang Institute.

Suddenly, their presence had sucked the light atmosphere when their broad, brooding , dark uniformed students walked in. Eleanor felt the thud of their footsteps pulse through her chest and the staff's they carry sent an even stronger pulse. They were a polar opposite to the Beauxbatons. They truly lived up to the dark reputation their school carried.

"My God! Could they try any harder to play like they're intimidating us in our own school?" Julius muttered.

Eleanor looked back at him as the heads followed the Durmstrang boys ahead.