Xerosis

Fear Falls Like Rain

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Fear Falls Like Rain
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"I have just heard the most delicious rumour about next year," Voldemort said as soon as he noticed Xerosis in the corner of his small meeting room.

"The TriWizard Tournament, perchance?" Xerosis replied, stepping smoothly over to the second chair the Dark Lord had created next to his own after their run-in with Death.

"You take a great deal of fun out of my life," Voldemort decided.

Xerosis bared lengthened teeth in a parody of a grin. "It's my job. Something of a full-time one, too. Why, it's shocking I ever manage to get anything else done–"

"Yes, thank you for that!" Voldemort said over the apparent vampire's ramblings. "Perhaps you can provide us with more information on the Tournament?" He motioned briefly to where Lucius, Barty, and a few other Inner Circle Death Eaters stood, eyeing the volley between the two Dark wizards a bit warily. The idea of the Dark Lord in a temper was terrifying enough that none of them could even envision teasing him, and every time Xerosis started, they all had to fight the urge to back away. That the boy had yet to actually anger their Lord other than the one time – which Barty refused to talk about – always surprised them.

Xerosis leaned back in his chair, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "What would you like to know? I'm not one hundred percent on the dates, but I can tell you what each of the Tasks will be." He tapped his chin as the Death Eaters shifted in disbelief; Lucius hadn't been able to discover what the Tasks were. "I can make a pretty good guess as to the Champions, too, if you want."

"The Hogwarts' Champion will be a Gryffindor," one of the Death Eaters commented, sneering. "It always is."

"I was going to say Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff, personally," Xerosis replied. "Then Victor Krum from Durmstrang, and the part-veela, Fleur Delacour, from Beauxbatons."

"Victor Krum!" someone whispered in the crowd.

"Crucio," Voldemort intoned, lazily pointing his wand at the wizard who'd spoken. "And the Tasks?"

"The First, dragons," Xerosis reported, picking at dirt under his nails. "They'll be required to collect a golden egg from a nesting mother. Damaging the other eggs or being harmed themselves will lose them points. The egg will give them a clue for the Second Task, which will involve collecting a close friend or family member from the merpeople in the Black Lake. The Third Task will be traversing a maze built up over the course of a few months in the Quidditch Pitch. The first person to collect the Cup receives 'eternal glory', or some such rot, and one thousand galleons."

"Hm." Voldemort idly scratched his cheek with the tip of his wand, which sparked a bit in response. "How distracted by this Tournament will the Ministry be, do you think?"

Xerosis shot a sharp look at the Dark Lord. "Perhaps marginally more distracted than they usually are. Security will only be an issue for the First Task, and they'll probably leave that to the dragon handlers. You intend to announce your presence during the Tournament."

Voldemort cackled as the Death Eaters let out surprised sounds. "It is a brilliant plan, isn't it? They'll have more important things on their minds and in we swoop, making messes left and right and they'll have to split their focus between us and the Tournament!"

Xerosis chuckled and shook his head. "They would certainly have their hands full," he agreed. "However, this means we shouldn't do anything during the Quidditch World Cup."

"Quidditch," Voldemort huffed. "No one cares about Quidditch."

"I suppose that means you don't want to attend?" Xerosis replied. "Ah, well. I'll have to give my extra ticket to someone else. Hey, Barty, you like Quidditch, don't you?"