DARK SOULS ☽ 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚏𝚘𝚢

𝔵𝔦 | fourth year

I try to find somewhere new to sit, but the feeling inside of me won't go away, and as I force myself to sit next to Pansy and Millicent, I wonder why Draco has some sort of hold on me. Maybe it's the way he's grown over the summer... or... I shake it from my mind as Pansy looks me up and down and grumbles underneath her breath, "What are you doing here, you disgrace." She spits the words at me, and I consider laughing in her face, but instead I just ignore. 

The great hall is decorated gloriously for the Triwizard Tournament, and as Dumbledore speaks about it, I smile. I'm excited for the Tournament and something about it just intrigues me. The danger, the glory, and the excitement of it all. I wonder if I will enter.

"And now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime!" Dumbledore shouts, and the beautiful French women in blue enter the great hall, swishing their hips as enchanted butterflies float behind them. A gasp echoes through the room at their beauty, as they sashay down the aisle. Thin girls in leotards tumble alongside them, throwing their body over itself with such grace. 

Though what I notice the most is their large, giant of a headmaster, who walks behind them slowly. She is almost three times the size of one of the girls. 

"Wow, she must be half giant." Pansy whispers to Millicent and they both giggle. I roll my eyes. 

The Beauxbatons ladies sit down at their assigned table at the front of the hall, and Dumbledore continues, "And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and and the high master Igor Karkaroff." That name sends a chill down my spine as the Durmstrang students' staffs slam against the ground. 

Igor Karkoroff, former Death Eater, is here. Is that just a coincidence after the Death Eaters' attack on the Quidditch World Cup or not. Sometimes I wonder if You-Know-Who could be alive, maybe just hiding in the shadows. 

As the Bulgarians stomp down the aisle, I hear whispers of 'Krum.' My eyes swivel around until they land on Victor Krum. The Bulgarian National Team's star seeker. Wow. I didn't know he went to Durmstrang, or that he was even that young. 

Millicent and Pansy giggle again after setting their eyes on Krum. I sigh in annoyance and watch Dumbledore, just waiting for when he'll swish his hands and all the food will finally show up. 

"Eternal glory!" Dumbledore yells, his voice cutting through the air, "That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But, to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"However..." He is cut off by the roar of thunder from the storm outside, and a man walks through the two large doors at the end of the hallway. He walks with a limp, and one of his eyes is replaced by a glass one. 

"Goodness, that's Mad-Eye Moody!" Millicent whispers loudly to Pansy, "The auror!"

"Ugh. He probably thinks he's some savior." Pansy rolls her eyes. I raise an eyebrow at her apparent disgust. I know she comes from a long line of Slytherins, but could it be possible that her family had some sort of connection to... I shake the idea from my mind, knowing it isn't wise to dwell on things like that. 

Mad-Eye and Dumbledore exchange a greeting, then he takes a seat as Dumbledore continues talking, "The Ministry has concluded that for the safety of the students no one under the age of seventeen will be permitted to enter their name in the goblet."

People boo and rile themselves up with upset. I roll my eyes in annoyance, wishing I could have had the chance to enter, but don't let it affect me too much.

"Silence!" Screams Dumbledore, as he unveils the covering on the goblet, displaying it in it's full golden glory. A demanding blue flame roars from the inside, "Anyone wishing to enter the Tournament must write their name on a piece of paper and submit it to the goblet. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

Cheers come from the student body, then we are led away to our common rooms.