BORN TO DIE ╱ DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
063 ━━━━━━ ❛ triwizard tournament ❜

Olivia and Lucas stepped on the train, not saying a word. Neither had anything to say. The past couple weeks of their lives had been filled with their mother watching their every move, specifically Olivia, whom she'd been "training" to be a better witch in her free time. But finally, they were going back to Hogwarts, where they'd have a break from their mother. Olivia could also forget that topic that she wasn't supposed to speak about.

They passed their schoolmates—some older, some younger, some new, some old—until they got to their compartment. Sliding the door open, they were met with Pansy, Blaise, Theodore, and Draco sitting in their seats already. Before the siblings could even blink, Pansy was wrapping Lucas in a hug, offering a small "Hi." Lucas returned it, and then Pansy moved onto Olivia. Her arms wrapped around the girl's neck, bringing her into her embrace. Olivia hugged her back, resting her cheek on her best friend's shoulder.

"I've missed you, mon petit diable," Pansy muttered, squeezing Olivia tighter.

Olivia inhaled deeply, lifting her head so that her chin now rested on the girl's shoulder. Her eyes slowly found those familiar gray ones, and she let out a breath. When she pulled away from Pansy, she offered the girl a tight smile. She ignored the somewhat worried look her friend had given her and just moved to her seat across from him.

For the rest of the train ride, she just focused on the window, not joining in on any of the conversation being had. Only getting up once to change into her robes and declining the Chocolate Frog Theodore offered her after the Trolley Witch left. She watched as the sky grew bluer with how the sun continued to rise and then darker when the sun began to set, letting the moon take over for it while it went to the other side of the world to brighten the people's day over there. The sky went from blue with blazing rays to oranges, pinks, purples, and reds, then settled on a nice midnight blue with twinkling white specks and a bright half-circle.

Little did she know that during her time staring out the window, she was a part of the topic of conversation between the Golden Trio.

Potter had just sat back down in his seat from talking to the Trolley Witch when Granger, who was holding The Daily Prophet, shook her head. "This is horrible," she sighed. "How can the Ministry not know who conjured it?" She asked, focusing on the brunette boy in front of her, her words alluding to what was reported in the post—the mark in the sky at the World Cup. "Wasn't there any security, or—?"

"Loads," Weasley replied, chewing on his Drooble's, "according to Dad." He glanced down at his hands before looking at his friends once more. "That's what worried them so much. Happened right under their noses."

Potter just scratched his scar.

"It's hurting again, isn't it?" Granger accused. "Your scar."

"I'm fine," the boy responded.

Granger took a moment to study him before she leaned forward. "You know Sirius will want to hear about this," she told him as he just stared at her. "What you saw and what happened to Olivia at the World Cup and the dream," she elaborated.

Potter just turned to the window, watching the world pass by, and the three went quiet for a moment, with Granger focusing back on The Daily Prophet while Weasley chewed his gum. And then Granger let out another breath, dropping the paper in her lap. "I wonder how Olivia's doing," she admitted, sounding almost worried for the girl as the two boys looked at her. Her eyes danced between theirs, watching the almost surprised-at-her-worry looks take over their faces. "Perhaps we should go check on her."

"And have to deal with Malfoy and the rest of her nest of snakes? You're bloody mental," Weasley countered, raising his brows. Granger just inhaled and exhaled a few times as she looked down at the paper still in her hands, having a bad feeling in her gut. "Besides, we're not supposed to talk about what happened to her, remember?"

"Since when have we listened?" Potter inquired, raising his brows. Weasley had no response to this. "But Ron's right, Hermione," the boy continued, focusing on the girl across from him as she looked up. "I don't feel like dealing with Malfoy and the others. I'm sure Olivia's fine. And even if she wasn't, I don't think she'd tell us anyway."

Granger simply nodded, but still chewed on her lip with worry.

They didn't check on Olivia, and despite not knowing that they had been thinking about it, she was glad they didn't. And finally, they'd arrived at Hogsmeade Station. The sounds of the train's brakes were loud, and Olivia stood up from her seat before it was even at a full stop and walked out of the compartment without saying a word to anyone.

Pansy and Lucas were quick on her trail, following her off the train and down the platform to the carriages. The three boys they'd left behind caught up eventually, and they all caught one of the carriages and rode to Hogwarts in silence.

And when they got to the school, the students piled on the bridge, watching a large flying carriage make its way to the school. There were gasps and excited whoas as the students watched it fly towards Hagrid, who seemed to be the director of it, and almost hit him, causing him to jump out of the way. Then there was a small boat, sailing its way across the Black Lake, until it rose and showed its actual grandeur. It rocked back and forth in the water as its sail fell down, revealing the crest of Durmstrang. Olivia just watched boredly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"It seems as though we have some visitors," Theodore whispered to her.

Olivia just inhaled deeply, then sighed just the same before walking off, pushing through the crowd of students as she went towards the school. She wasn't looking forward to any visitors, and the pit in her stomach was telling her that feeling was rightfully placed.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

"Well, now that we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement," Dumbledore began, standing at his podium while the students sat at their tables—some old, some new. The doors of the Great Hall creaked open, and Olivia ignored them while she focused on the Headmaster with her cheek resting on the palm of her hand and her elbow digging into the wood of the table. "This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well," the man continued as Filch ran down the middle of the hall. "You see, Hogwarts has been chosen—" His voice fell short as the running man came to a stop beside him, whispering something, and then Dumbledore whispered something back. Then Filch. Then so on and so forth until the caretaker ran off, going back to where he came from. "So..." Dumbledore picked up where he left off. "Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: the Triwizard Tournament."

Students around them murmured in excitement, including Olivia's friends, while she just let out a sigh. Couldn't they just have one normal year at school? Was that too much to ask for? She supposed this tournament was what their "visitors" were there for.

"Now, for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete," he explained, holding up one finger. Then he put his hand down. "Now let me be clear." His voice grew louder to show the importance of the information he was about to share. "If chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say, these contests are not for the faint-hearted. But more of that later." He waved his hands dismissively. That was something Olivia had noticed about the man over the years she'd known him—he liked to give out important and unsettling information and then dismiss it like it was nothing. "For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic"—the door of the Great Hall opened, catching everyone's attention—"and their headmistress, Madame Maxime."

Girls in light powdery blue uniforms skipped in, and Olivia watched closely as they leaned to the right and waved their right hand with sighs and smiles. They were so angelic and soft, and Olivia despised it because she was not. Then they moved forward, going down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. They repeated their lean and wave of a hand, paired with sighs, now to the left of the room. And Olivia's gaze moved from the girls to the ogling eyes all around them, focused on the newcomers. Her focus then moved to Draco, who sat across from her, seeing him stare at the girls with boredom. And she inhaled deeply. She hated that his disinterest settled something in the pit of her stomach.

The boy met her gaze in an instant, and she quickly looked away, ignoring how Theodore muttered something about how this year was going to be interesting, with his eyes trained on the girls who were stopped at the front of the hall. They waved both of their arms out this time, releasing blue butterflies, then split off to either side of the room. Olivia heard what sounded like Pansy lightly smacking the back of Blaise's head; he'd probably been joining his best friend in drooling over the girls.

Olivia watched as the Beauxbatons headmistress followed her students to the front, offering a smile to the Hogwarts students, ignoring the rest of the act. She clapped, however, when it was over, along with her schoolmates. Her hands met more boredly than the others, though. The applause was loud enough that it didn't matter, with whistles and cheers added in.

It wasn't shocking that it was the boys who were the loudest.

Olivia focused on Dumbledore, who'd just kissed the hand of Madame Maxime, as he made his way back to the front of the Great Hall. He stepped up on the platform where the professors' table sat so that everyone could see him. His arms rose, signaling for them to quiet down. "And now our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their high master, Igor Karkaroff," the man continued, and everyone turned to face the doors once more.

The boys walked in sternly, each banging their staff on the ground and creating sparks. Olivia sat up a little further in her seat. Then they let out a loud chant-like grunt, switched the staff from their left hands to their right ones, and continued the banging. They followed with more twirling and moving of the sticks they held, and the spark bangs didn't let up either. Olivia watched as they ran towards the front of the hall, some flipping and jumping while the others just stood to the side. And then, the real star of the show walked in.

Olivia turned to her brother quickly, seeing his jaw slightly drop at the sight of Viktor Krum entering along with the high master of Durmstrang. Students around muttered about the famous Seeker, and Lucas seemed too stunned. Her focus went back to the front, watching two of the boys blow fire to create their school's mascot. She then watched Dumbledore greet Karkaroff with a hug, and then the two pulled apart.

"Hogwarts," Dumbledore began, stepping to the main floor of the Great Hall. "Let's entertain our friends in the best way we can! All stand." He waved his hands up, gesturing for the students to rise, which they did. Olivia let out a sigh. The headmaster turned, saying, "Maestro, please!" And then a moment passed, and the music started.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy-Warty Hogwarts," the students sang.

Well, most of them anyway. Olivia just stood with her arms crossed over her chest, not a peep coming from her, and her friends only muttered along as it continued and Dumbledore led them with his wand, the lyrics shown on a floating banner up ahead.

"Teach us something, please."

It was such an embarrassment compared to the entrances of the other two schools, and Olivia wondered why the song hadn't been retired already. Or, at least, remastered.

"Whether we be old and bald or young with scabby knees," they went on, Olivia's gaze falling on Draco, who looked pained by the song, and Crabbe beside him, who seemed to be enjoying singing it tenfold.

"With some interesting stuff, for now, they're bare and full of air." The ones around Olivia began waving their arms, causing her to let out a sigh and put her head in her hands. "Dead flies and bits of fluff; so teach us things worth knowing."

She just wanted to be in bed, sleeping. Her nightmare would be all the better than this.

"Bring back what we've forgot."

From the looks on the other schools' students and heads' faces, Olivia could feel the judgment.

"Just do your best. We'll do the rest and learn until our brains all rot."

Finally, the song was done. And everyone settled into their seats. The Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables were extended, letting the Beauxbatons girls sit with the eagles and the Durmstrang boys with the snakes. The feast was served a moment later with a wave of Dumbledore's hand, and then he headed to his own seat.

Olivia pushed around the food that was on her plate, not paying mind to how much Theodore was shoving into his mouth at once and barely listening as Draco spoke. "You know, my father thought about sending me to Durmstrang," the boy admitted, lifting his chin with some kind of pride.

Theodore nodded, swallowing the food before he asked, "Oh, yeah? Why didn't he?" His voice was full of snark, and Olivia was sure it was fake. It was just a tease at the blonde boy. "It would've saved us a whole lot of grief."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Mother talked him out of it." He offered the boy beside Olivia a bored look. "She told him that Hogwarts was a fine and well-rounded school, and it was where they had met and fallen in love, and she wanted me to perhaps experience something like that here or whatever," he explained, sounding sick with the thought. "It's disgusting."

"Love is disgusting to you?" Olivia asked, furrowing her brows.

His eyes snapped to hers, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of a response. But before he could, Dumbledore said, "Your attention, please!" And everyone's focus went to the man, Olivia's gaze lingering on Draco for a moment, a little slower in making its way to the Headmaster than the others. "I'd like to say a few words," the man continued, resting his hand on the contraption that stood tall next to him, his eyes on it as well. Then he looked out at all of the students. "Eternal glory."

Those were the wise words of Albus Dumbledore, everyone! Olivia rolled her eyes.

"That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks," he explained. "Three extremely dangerous tasks." Whoever wanted to be a part of this was a bloody fool to Olivia. "For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this, we have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr. Bartemius Crouch."

Olivia's stomach churned at the sight of the man, remembering back to the night she'd last seen him, when she had almost died from the killing curse and he only swore everyone to secrecy. She was sure he had told the Ministry of the events, since the following day, her parents had to go to work for an inquiry. But she wondered who else knew—if anyone else knew.

The man began making his way from behind the professors' table to the front, where Dumbledore stood, and that was when a loud bit of thunder crashed up above in the bewitched sky. Everyone's eyes darted around the ceiling, some screaming in fear of the brewing storm. The screams continued as a wizard, whom Olivia recognized only from photographs and news articles, stepped forward and pointed his wand at the bewitchment. A bright light shot from it, calming the clouds and thunder in an instant.

"That's Mad-Eye Moody, is it not?" Blaise inquired, his eyes focused on the man.

"Yeah." Olivia nodded, watching for herself as Moody limped towards Dumbledore, his eyes—one being fake—looking around the crowd of students. He greeted Dumbledore with a handshake as the two spoke for a moment, then the Headmaster stepped off to one side while Moody did the same. Olivia was still focused on the newcomer, studying him with narrowed eyes as he took a swig of something from a flask.

Then finally, Crouch Sr. stopped at the front, where Dumbledore usually occupied during his start-of-term speeches. "After due consideration," he paused, holding open his arms as everyone watched him closely. "The Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament."

The outrage of annoyed students was loud, with people shouting and yelling at the man for his words. Students booed, and Olivia watched as the boys around her grumbled in disappointment. She was fine with it, no longer having to worry about any of her friends or her brother putting their names forth and possibly entering a death trap. And, not that she had been planning on entering anyway, it guaranteed that she didn't have to participate. She wasn't seventeen, after all.

Dumbledore stepped forward, his hands clasped together and resting against his robes. "Silence!" His voice boomed around the whole room, and everyone quickly went quiet. Crouch stepped aside as Dumbledore raised his wand to the golden thing beside him, and the students watched as it began to disappear, almost melting away, ready to reveal whatever was inside it.

It was a cup—a giant goblet. Blue flames rose from it, and Olivia's brows lifted. "The Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore made known. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it into the flame before this hour on Thursday night," he explained. "Do not do so lightly." His voice grew louder, slightly echoing against the walls. "If chosen, there's no turning back." He paused, letting the words sink in. "As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

Correction: The death trap had begun.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Walking down the corridor alongside her friends, Olivia stayed quiet as they talked about the World Cup. It went from the topic of the actual game to who had won, then Pansy asked, "Who do you think was on the inside?" Her gaze darted between everyone who had gone silent, and Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. "I mean, someone on the inside had to have helped with the attack, right?"

Olivia inhaled deeply, her eyes finding the particular blonde boy that she now had to look up at because he had grown taller than her over the summer, like the rest of the boys, and even Pansy, who was only a few inches taller. Draco's eyes were already on her. "I have my suspicions," she admitted, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Ah, so she does speak," Theodore teased, ignoring how she had spoken earlier. It was one question—one went-unanswered question, but still.

Draco and Olivia didn't pay mind to their friend, and he asked, "Why are you looking at me? I tried to help you, remember?" He almost sounded offended.

The rest of the group just looked between the two, keeping silent.

Olivia shrugged her shoulders carelessly, keeping her eyes trained on him. "Your father works for the Ministry, yes?" She paused but didn't give him enough time to answer, not needing one. "I just have this nagging feeling that he works for someone else, too. A feeling that makes me think his loyalties lie somewhere else."

Draco stopped in his tracks, glaring at her. He pointed an accusing finger as she stopped as well, their friends lingering behind them. "Don't bring my father into this," he gritted through his teeth, and she just stared at him boredly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Have I hit a nerve?" she asked, amused, fighting off a smirk.

Draco went to answer, but someone calling Olivia's name stopped him. The girl dropped her arms to her sides and turned in the direction her name had come from, her eyes landing on Cedric. The boy, clad in his Hufflepuff robes, was offering her a smile as he walked closer to her and her group.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Pansy looking him up and down as he stopped, Blaise, Theodore, Crabbe, and Goyle giving him suspicious looks, and Lucas nervously picking at the skin around his nails. Draco was behind her still, so she didn't know what was written on his face. But from the burning of his gaze on the back of her head, she could tell that he didn't like the fact that she was paying any mind to Cedric.

And that was something she was reveling in.

Olivia raised her brows questioningly. And the boy gave her a once-over, then glanced at her friends before focusing back on her. "I was just wanting to check on you," he admitted, half-shrugging and keeping the smile on his face. "I, uh..." She watched as he looked behind her for a second, his gaze no doubt landing on Draco's. "I didn't get to see you after what happened."

"I'm fine. I didn't get hurt," she replied, causing his brows to furrow. She wasn't supposed to speak of it. "Well, besides a few cuts and bruises and my hand being stepped on," she added with a soft smile. She lifted up said hand, which was still wrapped in a bandage since she'd been practicing dueling with her mother for the last couple of weeks and it had been reinjured more than a few times.

The confusion still lingered on his face, twisting his otherwise good-looking features. "But I heard about..."

"I'm fine, Cedric." She cut off his words, not wanting or being able to reveal what had happened to her without consequence. "Really, I am." She enunciated each word, trying to get her point across without actually saying her point.

It seemed to dawn on him, and the confusion washed away from his face. "Right," he nodded, taking a glance at her friends once more. He took a step back, focusing on her again. "Well, don't be a stranger."

"Same to you," she replied.

Cedric hovered for a moment before he turned and walked away. Olivia watched him until he disappeared around the corner, then turned to her friends. Draco was staring at her with narrowed eyes and an annoyed look, to which she just smirked, and then she faced forward and walked past him. The others followed quickly, trailing behind her as she went to the dungeons. She walked to the blank wall and whispered the password, turning the handle and pushing open the door when it appeared.

The familiar sight of the common room caught her eye as she stepped in. People were still lounging around despite it being close to curfew. She didn't stick around to hang out, and she went to the left staircase. Her friends didn't try to stop her, but Pansy did follow her.

Olivia climbed up the stairs, walked past each door, and came to a stop at hers and Pansy's dorm, noting that on the plaque next to their door, Daphne's name was no longer there. Meaning that she had switched dorms.

Good, Olivia thought.

Unlocking the door, Olivia opened it and walked in. She went to close it, but Pansy caught it with her hand and entered. "Why do you always fight with Draco on those beliefs, but not with the rest of us, when you know that we share them as well?" the girl asked, alluding to the conversation in the corridor and closing the door behind her. "Aside from Lucas, of course."

Olivia sighed, her back facing the girl. "I don't know," she admitted, running a hand through her hair. Then she picked up her trunk from the floor, ready to unpack and then go to sleep, not wanting to talk about this topic.

"I just don't understand why it's always such an issue with him, but not the rest of us," Pansy continued, sounding tired of it. Olivia heard her arms drop to her sides, letting her know that the girl had thrown them up. "I don't understand why and how you can be friends with us if it matters to you so much."

Olivia rested her hands on top of her unopened trunk, letting out another breath. Then she rubbed her hands over her eyes. "It's just the same as how you're all friends with me and Lucas," she said, turning around to face Pansy. "It doesn't matter all that much, not when we don't think about it." She knew her answer made no sense, but it did to her. "You are still you, even if you are a purist, which is something I'm learning that I won't be able to change."

Pansy let out a hard breath before sharply asking, "So why does it matter when it comes to Draco?"

"I don't know," Olivia answered.

And that was the truth. She didn't know.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
things are about to get interesting... hehe

make sure to comment and vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS, mar 2024

word count: 4332.   written: 2.26.24.   published: 3.15.24.