Chapter Twenty Five

A/N: Thank you to SunPotion7961 and Nevaeh -Rose Malfoy for reviewing the last chapter. The Cup question will be cleared up eventually, but not quite yet. Keep your eyes peeled for clues!

The fanfare was intended to sound majestic, like the heralding of the knights of old. Brass instruments thrust their sound across the pavillion, bouncing across the bright walls of the school beyond. It had all the strength of a battle cry. That likely made Narcissa's hands shake all the more.

The three Champions had been abandoned alone in a tent, Elian pacing restlessly at one end, while Lucius and Narcissa sat huddled together at the other. None of them spoke, listening intently to the sounds outside the tent, hoping for the slightest clue of what the First Task would hold. It would surely do no harm to have a little while longer to prepare; they could not be more fearful than they were already.

"What is taking them so long?" Elian growled in frustration. "They must know the Task, now let us do it."

Lucius nodded, sharing similar sentiments, though not exactly the same. Narcissa was indifferent. She had never wanted to partake in the Tournament at all. It would make no difference when she was told to do so.

It was almost half an hour longer before Elian's wish was grated, for his name was the first to be called. Madame Dutrech had taken a moment to explain the severity of the Task, though she had still given no clue of its nature. That they would have to find out for themselves.

It was a strange feeling, once Elian was gone and Lucius and Narcissa were left alone. It was such a normal thing for them to sit together in comfortable silence, and yet the situation had never been less normal.

"What do you think the Task could be?" Lucius eventually asked. It was no use pretending they were not both thinking it.

Narcissa shrugged her shoulders by way of a response. Her mind was far too preoccupied for courtesies.

"Cissa." Lucius sighed. She finally turned to face him. "It's alright to admit you're frightened. I'm not going to think any worse of you for it. In fact, I'd be quite worried if you weren't."

"Of course I'm frightened." Narcissa responded, her voice quiet as a mouse. It was like some kind of magic spell wove itself into her words; as soon as she admitted her fear, it suddenly became real. "We're going out there to face some kind of mystery challenge, without being told anything about it other than that it's dangerous. We're going to have a second or two to react once we're out there, because waiting any longer could get us killed. What about that is not frightening?"

Lucius only nodded by way of response. He did not know what else he could say, for she had summed up his fears exactly. Instead, he wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulder, pulling her close, as if he could shield her from the dangers ahead and she could do the same for him.

It was a useless gesture. Ten minutes later, the call came to the tent. The Hogwarts Champion would be next to face the Task.

Narcissa clung to Lucius as he tried to stand, desperately trying to stop him from leaving the tent. She knew it was futile- someone would come and drag the boy out by the neck of his robes if they needed to- but she could not let him go without making some sort of effort.

"Cissa," Lucius sighed. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

"I didn't think it could get harder." Narcissa joked in response. Lucius allowed himself the briefest chuckle.

"The simplest thing I learnt about studying magic." His tone was almost didactic, but somehow comforting nonetheless. "Always expect the unexpected."

"I'll bear that in mind." Narcissa assured him. The next minute, he was gone.

Once she was left alone, the girl curled up in the corner once again, willing her hands to stop shaking. She retrieved her wand from where it had been tucked into her belt and watched as the wood moved with the tremors. Almost despairing, she dropped the wand onto the tent floor below her. 'How can I cast spells when I can't even keep my hands still?'

You are a useless witch. You will probably die trying to accomplish this Task. Perhaps that would be for the best, because no one will miss you.

Narcissa drew in a sharp breath. It had been years since she had heard that voice in her head, almost long enough that she had forgotten about her father and his incessant abuse. It seemed that the scars on her skin had healed, but the scars on her mind and her heart would remain long after.

"You're wrong." she told herself, the whisper of a mouse but it was enough. "I am a good witch. I will survive the Task and I will defeat it, because so many people would miss me if I did not. My mother. My aunts, uncles, cousins. My sisters. Lucius. They all love me and trust me. I'm doing this for them."

She had barely fallen silent when she heard the applause thunder in the distance. A laugh tickled her throat. Lucius had won the Task. 'At least he is safe. If he can do it, so can I.'

Narcissa stood at the opening of the tent, her hands clenched into fists. Try as she might, her tremors had become worse, so violent that she could barely hold her wand. She could only hope that the adrenaline would be enough to carry her through.

The call came within a minute, Madame Dutrech's voice distorted by the projection spell. It seemed even the smallest of comforts would be taken from her. Narcissa took three deep breaths, trying to picture the faces of those she loved, smiling. 'I am doing this for them.' she told herself again. 'I am doing this for them.'

And with a final breath, Narcissa stepped into the unknown.

A/N: More of a filler chapter, but I hope you enjoyed. Please review!