Blessed With A Curse

Chapter 14

The evening was closing in, it was the night everyone had been anxiously waiting for. The contestants for the Triwizard tournament would be revealed and the games would begin. Static energy filled the air, a mixture of worry and excitement. Th corridors were filled as we all went to the main hall. Of course I took the best seat, eager to see the contenders.

"Now the moment you've all been waiting for!" Dumbledore hovered his way over. The lights went dull, it felt life threatening, something to be feared of. The room glazed a cold blue, highlighting the dark shadows that clung underneath Dumbledore's eyes. The flickering of the flames crying out of the silence. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, I personally couldn't move my eyes away. The ice blue went a blood red, lighting the fear in everyone's eyes.
"The Drumstrang Champion is..." Dumbledore's eyes caught that of the schools. "Victor Crumb!" Obvious. He cheered a great roar like a lion, his friends patting him on the back, happy for him. It was the first time I'd seen him smile so far, it was strange.
"The champion for Beauxbatons..." everyone followed Dumbledore's stare. "Fleur Delacour." A beautiful woman arose, a delicate smile on her face, which glowed against her silver skin. She glided across room, everyone's eyes now following her. I wondered how such a fragile frame would hold up against the tasks ahead. It didn't seem fair in comparison to Crumb. But her confidence held no doubt.
"The Hogwarts Champion." The last one. "Cedric Diggory." The first letter of his name snapped my attention. I found him in an instant. She was with him. Her large grin filled with happiness, he looked at her, the first person he looked at and copied her expressions. They quickly hugged before he too took his place. My face twisted, bitter like leather. How sweet, young love. I didn't clap.

"That's it!" Dumbledore boomed. "We now have our three champions. But in the end only one will go down in history, only one will joist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory. The Tri Wizard cup!"
I hoped to Merlins Beard it would not be Cedric Diggory, how was I to compete with a champion? He'd have to lose. But then suddenly everyone's attention was diverted. It glowed red once again.
"Harry Potter." Dumbledore's shocked tone resembled everyone else's face. My eyes darted to the chosen one, the slimey little cheat. Of course he couldn't help but taking the opportunity to make yet something else all about him. "Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called again. Harry looked shaken, and so he should be, I couldn't wait for the amount of trouble he had landed himself in. Thankfully everyone else shared the same feeling I did. Not so popular now aye Potter. The whispered rattled like snakes, insults spat out as Harry dragged himself forward. Now who would I want to die off first? Harry or Cedric? Although my dislike of Cedric was growing distastefully, there was no one I disliked more than Potter. As he stood there next the other contestants, he looked incredibly out of place. His small figure wouldn't even stand against the chance of a lady. The boy was only capable of scraping by with pure luck, but luck wouldn't get him far this time. Maybe this ought to teach him a lesson.

"Can you believe that!" Pansy rugged at my cloak.
"I mean it is the Harry show." I rolled my eyes and she laughed. "But sorry Pansy, I need to go congratulate a new friend of mine." She looked at me dumbfounded and I couldn't help but let the smirk on my face grow. Her mouth hung wide as I walked towards the great Viktor Krum.
"Congratulations!" I patted his back, he looked slightly uncomfortable but remained polite. "I'd put money on it that you'll win." I tried with the complementing, that ought to loosen him up.
"Do you know much on that Harry Potter?" His eyes narrowed.
"I wouldn't worry about him." I shrugged it off. "Well now you've definitely got to find a good date to the Yule Ball." Take the bait, take the bait.
"Do you have any suggestions?" Got you! I looked around, many people were leaving but Granger was still hanging around waiting for Harry. I pointed her out the crowd.
"Hermione Granger, she's a nice girl." I felt sick saying the words. He simply nodded his head, I congratulated him again before jetting off. Yes! I'd planted my seed.

"This is going to be perfect!" Goyle squeaked with excitement. We'd spent most the night perfecting these badges. Potter stinks, suited him perfectly if you were to ask me. Thankfully everyone else shared our anger and wore them proudly. Our aim was to hand them to the entire school and so where ever Harry looked he'd be reminded. Reminded he was the most hated boy in this school. I'd waited a long time for this, to triumph over Potter. Of course all of Slytherin, but the Hufflepuff's were harder to persuade as well as some of the Griffindors. I bet they were embarrassed, imagine having him demonstrate your house, marvellous. At the start I was furious that the snake Had slithered his way in but now I enjoyed it.
I caught Cedric and his friends sitting in the courtyard, I was happy not to see Blair there. I approached him proudly, stood tall, but still he had a few inches on me.
"Diggory." I called. He looked at me confused, his cheeks reddening slightly. Maybe he thought I was here to talk to him about his girlfriend. I handed him a badge, passing a few to his near by friends. "Wish you all the luck." I tried to sound sincere but my words seethed hatred even when holding it back.
"Thanks Malfoy." He clearly didn't get my sarcasm. A Hufflepuff a reminded myself.

Taking a seat upon a tree, we all watched the witches and wizards sporting our new badges. The smirk growing further and further, now everyone shared the same hatred I had for Potter and it was about time. One could not notice a flustered Potter ramming his way through, anger radiating his entire body. In my favour he was coming my way.
"My father and I have bet you see. I don't think your going to last ten minutes in this tournament." Ha! Got ya! His head snapped to my direction. I jumped down, stalking my prey. "He disagrees, he doesn't think you're going to last five." We all laughed in unison, other than Scarhead of course.
"I don't give a damn what your father thinks Malfoy." He pushed against my chest, instantly enraging my anger. How dare he touch me? "He's vile and cruel." Fair, any problem with that? "And you're just pathetic." Pathetic? What will be pathetic is your face once I'm done with you! I went to grab my wand, conjuring the most gruesome curse. But before I even had the chance...
My body felt stretched and smudged apart, my head crammed into the smallest space, I thought I was going to explode. I felt dirty, like a rat, like a ferret! My stomach churned and swirled from being hurled in the air. I heard and saw nothing, my embarrassment purely blinding everything out or maybe it was the dizziness that scrambled my brains. But what wasn't hard to miss in the fact Moody was about to shove me into Crabbe's pants. I was about to be sick. Blocking all my senses I hoped this would be over soon. I found the nearest exit and scrammed for it. I was quickly diverted into my normal form and I saw the crowd. Shame, embarrassment, anger, rage, all these feelings bubbled up inside me.
"My father will hear about this!" I threatened Moody. Oh did I hate him now, I had every right to steal that beady eye in the night and destroy it.
"Is that a threat!" He old hag wobbled after me, chasing me around the tree. This man was mad, absolutely bonkers. I ran as far as I could, Crabbe and Goyle shortly behind me.