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"REPRESENTING DURMSTRANG INSTITUTE, WE HAVE VICTOR KRUM!", DUMBLEDORE ANNOUNCED. cheers were heard as victor proudly walked onto the stage.

     "and from our very own hogwarts, we have cedric diggory from the hufflepuff house!"

     cedric received many whistling and back pats as he gladly approached victor.

     "and finally from beauxbatons, we have...victoria noir....?", dumbledore hesitantly read out, making everyone gasp.

though victoria's reaction was that of a fearful prey, her eyes glimmered like a dangerous predator.

she slowly stumbled forward as she pretended that she didn't know what was going on.

just as dumbledore couldn't get more shocked, another piece of fiery paper flew out of the cup.

"and...harry potter...."

harry was then egged onto the stage as him and victoria followed the two sixth-years into a dungeon-like room along with the multiple professors.

"how did you two put your names into the cup?!", dumbledore inquired, clearly having to have set a age restriction circle around the cup so that fools like fred and george couldn't even have put their names in.

     "I-I'm not sure professor. I didn't put my name in the cup at all", victoria meekly confessed.

     harry nodded in agreement as he was innocent too. dumbledore just sighed as he looked over at barty crouch—an influential british ministry of magic official.

     "there's no choice—"

     "but—"

     "it's very simple karkaroff. someone put potter and noir's name in the goblet knowing that they would have to compete it if came out", moody interrupted.

"indeed. due to the binding magical contract, there is no choice but for ms. noir and mr. potter to enter the competition", barty crouch said.

victoria made a distressed face, though with madame maxime standing beside her, she put a hand on the girl's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"you are going to be fine my dear. you 'ave my word", madame maxime smiled.

     "merci madame".

•♛•

     "do you know what the first task is?", pansy asked victoria while the two sat on one side of the ballroom.

     honestly victoria didn't know why all the girls sat on one side of the room while the boys sat on the other side. yet neither did she know why professor mcgonagall's transfigurations class was suddenly being held in a ballroom.

     "no, but I'm not exactly worried", victoria lied. she knew exactly what she was going up against, but so did the other contestants.

     victoria just thought it'd be nice for people to have a surprise since it'd be quite boring if everyone already knew what the trials were going to be.

pansy just hummed as she watched professor mcgonagall walk to the middle of the room as argus filch stood by the corner next to a phonograph.

"as we should all know, there a tradition for the triwizard tournament. since it's inception on christmas eve, we and our guests, must be gathered in the great hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity", mcgonagall announced.

"as representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward because the yule ball is first and foremost a dance".

the slytherins and few beauxbatons and durmstrang students started whispering and groaning.

victoria wasn't sure why people were so surprised, as the word "ball" should've hinted that there was going to be a dance.

     "did you hear? a ball? quite exciting isn't it?", pansy smiled.

     "indeed", victoria softly replied, though dancing was the least of her concerns right now.

     "who will you be going with?", pansy asked, clearly already having someone in mind.

     "pardon?"

     "you can't possibly tell me you're going without a date! I mean...all champions are required to attend with one", pansy said.

     "and why can't I attend without a date? perhaps I'd ought to walk down that aisle by myself", victoria slightly grinned, making pansy baffled.

"ahem! ms. parkinson and ms. noir, since you two are so well-versed in dancing that you both can just ignore my lesson, might as well do a class demonstration", mcgonagall announced, making a few slytherins snicker.

     pansy simply rolled her eyes as victoria sighed. she stood up, patting down the silky blue fabric of her uniform dress, and extended her hand out to pansy.

victoria hastily pulled pansy up to her feet, putting one of her hands on pansy's waist as she led the girl across the ballroom.

     "what in merlin's beard are you—"

"dancing, professor", victoria simply smiled as she glazed around the floor like an elegant swan.

the two girls twirled and turned, making draco scoff. indeed victoria was quite the interesting figure, but nothing he couldn't handle.

mcgonagall swiftly clapped her hands, making the duo stop momentarily.

     "alright, now please pick a suiting partner of the opposite gender and start practicing", macgonagall announced as filch started the phonograph.

     victoria let go of pansy's hand as she glanced around the room, seeing that many guys were hesitant to approach her, except one of course.

     "may I?", the platinum blonde boy asked, extending his hand out for victoria to take.

victoria's eyes flicked up to meet the gaze of a pair of similar steel grey eyes that made her nearly grin.

"of course", the girl smoothly answered, placing her hand in his.

the rest grouped together, with the occasional whispering about the royal pair.

to the common eye, it seemed like the blooming of a new romance, but the two knew better than that. to them, it was the start of a new game.

"draco. draco malfoy", the confident boy introduced as he led the girl step by step.

"malfoy...only heir of lucius and narcissa malfoy", victoria stated more than asked.

     "noir, I've heard quite a bit about you too", malfoy smirked.

     "I do hope it's all good things then", victoria smiled.

     "you're the first one that I have seen stand up to snape. you and potter also seem to have been the first ones to enter the triwizard tournament even though both of your names shouldn't have been in there", draco amused.

     "I simply stood up for neville, nothing more, nothing less. and for the tournament, it seems harry and I were perhaps framed", victoria smoothly lied.

"really? you didn't seem too surprised when your name was called out", draco inquired.

"are you implying that I put my own name in the goblet?", victoria calmly questioned, making draco just simply smile.

"not at all. just curious is all".

victoria then took a step back as draco dipped the girl, bringing her back up as he bowed and victoria curtsied.

     "thanks for the dance malfoy", victoria smiled as she was about to leave.

     "how about the ball?", draco asked.

     victoria's brow raised.

     "you're asking me to the ball? with you?"

     "obviously", draco smirked.

     victoria let out a light chuckle. "you'll have to try harder than this then", victoria said as she swiftly walked away, making blaise snort.

     "you've got this in the bag huh?", blaise teased, making draco huff in anger.

     "this was just step one. just wait and watch", draco said as he too walked away, making blaise shake his head.

     "this should be interesting".

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