𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘 . 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐓

𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄.

1994;

Alastor Moody had transformed Draco Malfoy into a white ferret, exposing the act with no regard for discretion. Viola learned of this unexpected development almost instantaneously and found it to be a highly amusing affair.

Besides that, the first round of the tournament had already commenced, with a challenge most barbaric in nature - retrieving a golden egg from the nest of a dragon. Though, Viola was unable to control her curiosity and decided to join her friends and view the event with her own eyes, to see who, if anyone, survived from the dangerous feat.

With a sudden jerk, Viola felt a poke to her shoulder and heard the distinct sound of her name uttered from behind her back. As she whirled around to face whomever had addressed her

"What?" she hissed, a hint of annoyance mingled with confusion.

"Cedric wants to speak with you, back in the, eh, tent," the boy in yellow ventured as he flashed a subtle wink in her direction after finishing his sentence.

In a tone that dripped with disinterest and disdain, Viola responded, "Oh? Well, do tell Cedric that I have no desire to speak with him."

She had already made her feelings known to Cedric and had seen the hurt in his eyes when she had done so. There was no point in re-hashing an already difficult conversation and re-opening those wounds.

"C'mon pretty lady--"

"Don't call me that," she almost snapped before gathering herself, the annoyance still evident in her tone.

Blaise quickly intervened. "You heard her," he stepped in next to her and sternly told the boy, "now, back away."

Next to Viola, Draco added with a smirk, "Do you need me to show him away from you?"

With an irritated sigh, Viola said, "I'll deal with this, now, leave."

The words were intended for the boy as he walked away, and he tossed a final glare towards both Draco and Blaise before he left. In doing so, he displayed a profound lack of common sense.

Viola only sighed with annoyance, before using Draco and Blaise's faces as makeshift stands to help her get up.

However, the two boys cursed and grumbled their complaints with a bit of overdramatization that she simply rolled her eyes at.

Viola made her way towards the tent where they kept the four. The tent was obscured by a sheet-like tapestry, and Viola made her way inside carefully.

At once, Cedric's eyes fell upon Viola as he headed her way, with a look of slight relief on his face. Before she could say anything, he backed her into a corner out of the way of view from Fleur and Krum, although they still noticed her presence. However, they decided to continue minding their business.

Cedric drew closer and practically whispered to her, a mere. "Hey."

With a deadpan expression, Viola crossed her arms and responded, "Your friend was not very pleasant."

Cedric responded with a slightly flustered look, "Oh, yeah, Louis. Sorry about him, he can be a bit, uh, forceful."

Viola raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, "Forceful? Well, that's not a very pretty word."

Cedric let out a light laugh and responded, "No, it's not. I mean, your friends aren't any better."

Viola tilted her head slightly in a slightly disdainful expression. "How presumptuous of you." She continued, "As if being pleasant is expected of us. But you, standing here in yellow, have no right to make remarks of the sort."

The stereotypes that people held were never something that Viola believed. Yet, every so often, she found great amusement in provoking people.

Cedric hastily tried to explain himself, "I didn't mean it like that. Look, Viola, I-- "

Before Cedric could continue, a sudden flash of light went off in their direction, causing both him and Viola to quickly take a step back from each other.

"Oh, my, my, my," Rita Skeeter mused, "So charming, the two of you. A captivating prince with his beguiling blue-eyed girl... or have I perhaps interrupted an intense lovers' quarrel between you two?"

Viola's eyes flashed with anger as she regarded Rita Skeeter. Before she could say anything, Cedric stepped forward, his brows furrowed in irritation. His expression remained stoic, but his gaze did not relent from Skeeter's.

"If you will be so kind, I would like you to excuse us. Perhaps you can use your attentions elsewhere, somewhere else." Cedric's words were spoken with a calm tone.

Rita Skeeter looked at Cedric, her eyes growing wide and a notepad in her hands. She let out a grumbling sigh, "Well, it seems as if Prince Charming isn't quite so charming after all,"

Skeeter's attention span was as short and fleeting as that of a housefly, as her eyes quickly darted towards Granger and Potter in a embrace. Her camera flash seemed nearly instantaneous in capturing the moment, as she rushed to their location for another piece of gossip to add to her next report.

Dumbldore suddenly entered the tent, and before Viola could make an exit, however, Cedric grasped her arm, seemingly wanting to say something. However, Viola quickly silenced him with her own words.

In a hurried manner, she inquired, "Your first task is to face a dragon, is that correct?" She had just noticed the small dragon contained within the box, and was now attempting to confirm what the task at hand was.

Cedric only paused for a moment before responding. His voice sounded tentative and uncertain, as he confirmed, "Yes. Yes it is."

"The Conjunctivitis Curse," Viola replied simply, causing Cedric to raise an eyebrow and look at her in confusion. She quickly shook her head and continued, "A rather irritating curse, it causes the targets' eyes to swell shut. It's quite susceptible to dragons, Now try not to lose an arm or your head out there." 

Without waiting for a response, Viola headed back to her friends, noting that they had all gathered now. The only empty seat was next to Theo, and with a slight sigh, Viola sat next to him.

Theo took notice of her and chose the same course of action by simply remaining quiet. However, he had slightly leaned back and relaxed, and as a result, their shoulders lightly touched.

They both were aware of the slight contact, and yet, for whatever reason, they both failed to acknowledge or address it in any way. It seemed that they were both unwilling to bring it up, and so, the two simply sat besides each other in tense silence.

-
Filler chapter, sorryyy.

Thank u 4reading!

-Angie.

Word count; 1045