Victoire Weasley

10. The First Task

Victoire's P.O.V

     It was November 24th, which in other words meant it was the day of the First Task.  I pulled my knit cap down over my ears to protect them from the biting cold.  Despite the grey, gloomy sky that threatened to split and thunder at any moment, the students walked down to the Quidditch field with excited smiles and loud chatter.  Practicing at the Quidditch pitch had been closed off a few days earlier so that they managed to set up whatever task the Champions had to face in time.

     I hadn't spoken to Teddy in nearly a month and I was regretting overreacting during our argument.  I can't even remember what I was trying to prove, if I was even trying to to prove something or if I was just stubborn.  No matter the reason, Teddy was now facing a life or death situation and our last words hadn't exactly been friendly.

     "I'll be back soon," I murmured to Kyra, not quite sure she heard me and hurried off towards the changing rooms as quickly as possible, expecting to find them there.

     The boys' changing room had been decorated in the way that a few wooden stools had been placed around a small couch with a low, wooden table.  Gabriel was talking to a dramatic-looking woman in green and Aamor was sitting on the couch, looking at his hands.

     "Aamor!" I whispered, hoping the others couldn't hear me.  I wasn't exactly allowed here.

     He looked up in surprise and hurried over while throwing a glance over his shoulder.

     "You should not be here." He whispered back.

     "I just wanted to say good luck," I stopped to give him a hug "To you and Teddy, where is he?"

     "I do not know, still changing, I suppose.  But you cannot be here--" He was interrupted by the sounds of five, loud people coming closer by the second.  It was without a doubt the five judges.

     I ran to a corner, close to the doorway right in time for the judges to step in.  Once their backs were to me, I ran out to find Kyra, Darren, and Alroy.

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Teddy's P.O.V

     "Alright everyone, please come here!" I heard through the wooden door that separated the boys' change room and the washroom.  I looked at my reflection for a brief second before joining the others.  I was unnaturally pale, almost a sickly green.  My hair kept changing colour and was currently a bright orange.  I could always change my hair and skin colour back to normal but I knew, considering the situation, that it would only turn back to their current colours.  I sighed and pushed the door open to see Mr. Stone smiled up at me, "There you are, do come join us."

     Once I joined them he started, "For the first task, you will each be given an hour to find and take a round, silver ball that has been hidden in the centre of a small labyrinth that has been set up on the Quidditch field.  However, there is also one acromantula released with you into the labyrinth."--The other Champions seemed surprisingly calm when he told us this, leading me to suspect they already knew--"You will have to get past in order to get this ball, which contains the clues to the next task.  You will be given points based on how well you assess the situation and how quickly you manage to retrieve the ball.  Bonus points will be awarded if you manage to trap the acromantula.  You will, however, be taken points off if the acromantula is harmed in any way, depending on severity of injury.  You may still fire spells towards the acromantula of course.  If any of you are too injured to continue, the task will be stopped but points will be taken off.  If you're in danger, shoot up red sparks using your wand, but do not worry, if you've lost your wand then we'll eventually find out that you've been hurt.  We have people tracking your every move, so do not worry.  Does everyone understand?" He finished, looking around at me and the two other Champions.