"Rose, Rose!"

She groaned as someone shook her shoulder roughly and turned over, planting her face into her pillow.

"Rose! Il est temps !"

"Time for what?" She mumbled against the fabric.

"La première tâche du Tournoi des Trois Sorciers!"

"WHAT?!" Rose almost fell out of bed in her haste to leap up. Helene was holding a banner saying 'Beauxbatons!' "No one told me!"

"Weell...you are een it! Eet was expected zat you would know..."

"When does it start?" She frantically pulled off her pyjamas and then stopped. "Wait...what am I supposed to wear?!"

"Madame Maxime sent me wiz zese!" Helene held out a tracksuit adorned with the Beauxbatons colours. On the back, in huge letters, was the word 'Weasley'. Rose almost could hear Scorpius' voice sneering. "And eet starts een cinq minutes!"

Rose nearly choked on air. "Five minutes? But I haven't even eaten yet!"

In response, Helene handed her a slice of toast.

Five minutes and a second later, Rose was to be found stumbling into the champion's tent a little way away from the stadium. She barely noticed her surroundings, nearly knocking over a Daily Prophet reporter as she dashed towards Kingsley Shacklebolt, her already bushy hair looking like it had been electrocuted.

"You're late."

She was bent over double, gasping for breath, but she looked up to see an unfamiliar Professor bearing down on her. She suddenly recognised him as Professor Lycon. "Hardly." She spat, clutching at a stitch in her side.

He gave a small snarl but was interrupted by the Minister for Magic. "Now, now, Vicente. It's not like she was an hour late." Vicente Lycon? Sounded like some gothic vampire. "Now, gentlemen and lady." Shacklebolt's eye twinkled at Rose. Scorpius straightened up, evidently hoping for the Minister to notice him. "There is nothing I can tell you about what is facing you. You shall be unarmed, and this shall be a test of your strength as well as courage. Nothing out there will be looking to kill you...unless you anger it."

A collective shudder ran through the three competitors. Kingsley continued. "You are allowed to forfeit, but to do so will not give you the clue for the next task, which could be considered essential. Also, you shall be put in last place, with a score of zero. There shall be six judges – myself, Madame Maxime, Professor Kopf, Headmaster Esöb, Professor Lycon and the Head of the Department of Magical Sports and Games, Aeron Boneman, who asks to be referred to as 'Mr A'." The Minister's voice was clipped in evident disapproval.

"Who goes virst?" Vladimir asked, his voice shaking slightly and his eyebrows, if possible, even tighter knit together.

Shacklebolt pulled out his wand, muttered something and it spun wildly in his hand. Rose stepped slightly aside, hoping to trick it into believing she was Scorpius. However, as it slowed to a stop, it settled on Vladimir. He gulped.

"At the sound of the cannon, Mr Vladislav." Kingsley cuffed him on the shoulder bracingly. "But who shall go next?" His wand twitched slightly, moving sideways and landing on Scorpius. "Ah...so, Rose, you are last. Once you have competed, you shall remain with your Headmaster or Headmistress, unless you are injured, in which case you go to Madam Pomfrey."

Suddenly, as Scorpius made to ask a question, he was drowned out by the boom of a cannon blast. Vladimir's legs were shaking as Kingsley led him from the tent. Blinding flashes were emitted from the camera man that raced after them.

And then there were two.

"Can you hear anything?" Scorpius asked after a moment.

"Not now that you're talking." Rose replied sharply. She was wringing her hands together, willing them not to tremble.

"Doesn't sound like he'd died..."

"Are you aware that you're speaking?"

"Yes." He smirked. "I hope you haven't got your wand secretly stashed somewhere."

"I'm not a guy; I can't exactly hide it anywhere without it being visible. Not that you could, unless your wand is two inches long." Rose suppressed a smile as she saw his face growing bright red.

"Sh-shut it!" He spluttered. "You watch yourself, Weasley, I'll tell my father about this!"

"What, that you have a small dick? I'm sure he'll be very proud. I thought your father told you to leave him alone, anyway."

He froze. She felt her lungs constrict. The look on his face showed her that it hadn't been a joke. "How did you hear that? N-not that it's true!"

"I...I didn't mean it."

"Good." A lump was visible in his throat. There was a moment when they both stared at one another, each willing the other to break the silence. Then, the sound of cheers rang out.

"Vladimir must have finished." Rose gasped.

"No shit." Scorpius tried to joke, but his voice was quaking uncontrollably. He was next.

There was a long pause.

BOOM!

Scorpius pressed his hands together, turning his head to the sky, then walked out of the tent.

And then there was one.