MEMENTO MORI | DRACO MALFOY

SIX

CHAPTER SIX

     Ophelia and Cassius ran quickly across the lawn back towards the castle. Cassius' long legs helped him run faster as Ophelia struggled to keep up, even while clutching onto his hand. As soon as they'd seen the carriage fly above them, they knew they were late. It wasn't until the water of the Black Lake began to ripple and bubble and quickly began to wash up onto the muddy banks as a mast appeared from just below the surface that they knew how late.

     They joined the crowd of students at the front of the castle, quickly noticing the other Slytherins standing in their pristine robes and combed hair while Ophelia and Cassius arrived panting and sweating. Blaise grinned and shook his head at the pair while simultaneously watching Draco and Pansy's seething reaction beside them. Ophelia combed her fingers through her tangled hair in an attempt to look more presentable. She had finally calmed her breathing when she noticed Snape glaring in her direction. Surely she'd receive a long lecture about not following orders when he had the chance.

     The carriage had finally landed on the grass in front of Hagrid's Hut. The winged horses were much larger up close, they had to have been the size of Elephants. They were beautiful, golden creatures, but their eyes shone red. Ophelia had been too distracted by the horses to notice the door of the carriage swing open and a woman stepped out. There were gasps of surprise at the sight of her. She was just about as tall as Hagrid, perhaps even taller. The students that exited behind her were the size of ants in comparison, and they all wore silk blue robes with small hats atop their heads.

     Beauxbatons, Ophelia deduced. Durmstrang wouldn't be wearing uniforms so thin for their inclimate weather.

     Dumbledore began to clap as the crowd of students walked elegantly towards the castle. The rest of Hogwarts followed suit, applauding Beauxbaton's elegant entrance as they approached with synchronized steps and hands clasped tightly behind their backs. The large woman approached Dumbledore, holding out her hand, to which he immediately took to his lips.

     "Madame Maxime, welcome." He smiled, while the woman looked around at all of the tiny, Hogwarts students that were watching her with wide, astonished eyes.

     "Has Igor arrived yet?" She asked, her gaze returning to Dumbledore.

     He shook his head. "Should be here any moment. Would you care to head inside and warm yourselves while we wait?"

     Madame Maxime nodded, leading her shivering students inside the castle where McGonagall would take them into the Great Hall. Ophelia heard Madame Maxime fussing with McGonagall about her horses before the loud voice disappeared behind the double doors.

     "Was she a giant?" Daphne whispered in Ophelia's ear, who merely shrugged in response. She was definitely something.

     There was another long beat of silence. "When is Durmstrang going to get here?" Draco grumbled. "I'm freezing out here!"

     "We heard something coming from the lake on our way back to the castle." Cassius suggested. "Perhaps they're just waiting for the perfect moment to make their entrance."

     "Soaking you two from within the Black Lake would have been the perfect moment." Draco sneered, earning a glare from both Ophelia and Cassius.

     "What's his problem?" Cass asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

     Ophelia shrugged. "No idea."

     Suddenly, there came a loud rumbling from across the grounds, and the group of students turned to face the Black Lake, where a mast had fully emerged with an entire ship beneath it. There were gasps of amazement from many of the students as they stood on the tips of their toes to get a better look.