The First Task
"This is Daisy Pips, writing for the Daily Prophet." She was a slender woman in a bright somewhat modern, if you could call a it that, robe. She was introduced during the first task, behind the scenes, where James had them all sneak in beneath the invisibility cloak.
"Thank you Professor," The woman smiled, a wide, blinding, pearly white smile, "Champions, how lovely to meet you all!" She addressed them, completely disregarding the Professors around. Wolfgang Wagner, Victoire D'Aure and Narcissa Black all sported a more athletic version of their school's uniform. Narcissa's was added green and silver embellishments for the sake of her house's colours. "The Daily Prophet has asked that I write profiles about each of you, the world has been waiting for something like this to take place, and with the current political climate, everyone's eyes will be on you Champions," she smiled and circled them like a shark, "I hope you'll all give them a show."
There were still a few hours to go for the task, hence why Remus was so angry at James currently, he wished nothing more than to still be on his dorm curled up around a book. It wasn't like they'd let him sleep either, they spent all last night, and the night before, and the one before that, arguing who the Marauders would support, and they didn't agree on anything, so right now, James was rooting for Narcissa, as well as Peter, who hasn't had an original, independent opinion in the whole time Remus had known him. James based his favor to school spirit ("even if she's you mean cousin, we should support Hogwarts," he'd said). Sirius had therefore pulled Remus behind him and said they'd both support Beauxbatons' champion. And allegiances seemed to get only more and more confusing from then on, Remus was told, against his will, that Marlene, Mary and Lily were all supporting Victoire as well, each for their reasons, and the only support he'd learnt Hogwarts student had for Wolfgang was Serena, his sister, and Snape and Mulciber, who were probably threatened by Serena into supporting instead of the Black competitor.
"Psst." Sirius tried to be as quiet as possible, given they were still in the champion's tent, where there were champions, teachers and reporters at the moment, "we should get going if we want to be front row."
"We can hear the Victoire's interview from here," James stared at the reporter had pulled the french student to a desk in the edge of the tent, the headmistress of the school seemed to loom behind her, probably watching to reign in any faux pass by the champion, who seemed perfectly incapable to have any of those.
"My legs are hurting." Peter decided to be useful for once, and he did have a point, they'd been there for hours, standing beneath the cloak, it was a miracle no one had run into them yet.
"Alright," James conceded, not quite happy.
The four boys shuffled across the room, barely making it out before Remus got the smell of Serena, Snape and Mulciber walk towards the tent.
The first task was dreadful.
Contestants will be tried by speed and skill, The Unicorn Run.
"I wonder who came up with the idea," Lily saved them seats near the front row, closest to the exit, Marlene and James sat in front of them, hanging just a little from the bars that stopped them from falling into the track they'd made in the fields of the castle, "I believe it has to be loosely inspired in a muggle Spanish tradition called the Pamplonada..." Remus realized that even if he found it interesting, and he was raised in the muggle world, he was oblivious to that. Lily also did butcher the Spanish a little, but Remus would recall it if he'd heard about a festival that included running from a pack of bulls through a city.
"Wouldn't have expected muggles to have such weird events." Sirius exhaled, "I thought they were duller." You call those weird? Your favourite teacher can literally turn into a cat.
The three contestants exited the champions' tent, all holding together like no one else could. They went over to the start of the track, two large walls upon which sat the bleachers where everyone was watching defined the outline, it was a curvy road with a few obstacles and nothing more. Behind them stood a pen with at least twelve unicorns.
"Champions!" the Durmstrang Headmistress announced, "For this challenge, you are allowed to use any magic you see fit within the bounds of legality. But you may not harm the unicorns purposely. You must cross the whole track, and you may start after Professor Dumbledore shoots the red flare into the sky. The first to the finish line will be the winner of this first task."
The three leaders of the schools sat in a platform just above the finish line. Close enough for Remus to hear them whispers among them, if there were any, he was stuck with scoffs from the french teacher. And an almost deafening cheer from his friends.
Dumbledore raised his wand.
Wolfgang, Narcissa and Victoire readied to run at the first moment, every one of them with their wand in their hand.
And Dumbledore shot. A red light flew from his wand like a firework. The gate around the Unicorns faded away. The champions ran.
Wolfgang shot a spell into the ground in front of Narcissa and Victoire, splitting the ground into lots of plates, shaking in front of them.
"Glacio!" Narcissa shot the ice charm and froze the ground in front of her, unfazed completely, she kept running.
Victoire stopped for a second as she cast a more complex spell, suddenly the pieces of rock and dirt that had blasted above turned into a flock of birds which started flying at Wolfgang, who was now in the lead.
"Arresto momentum" Narcissa fired at Wolfgang, who was too busy fighting off birds to deflect, "Hervivicus" she shot at the ground below her, and sized the moment with "silencio." And in that quick series of events she managed to slow Wolfgang's movements to a halt, tie him down to the ground with a quickly growing bush of thick ivy and swiftly take away his capability to cast spells which might require an incantation.
"We're never messing with your cousin again." Peter was pale.
"And she's not the one that's good with curses." Sirius was just as shocked.
She was in the lead. The unicorns were closing in on Wolfgang, and Victoire had a way to go to get to her.
Narcissa slowed down for a second to measure the distance between her and the french champion. She turned her head back and kept running ahead, her wand ready as she cast an engorgio charm on the Unicorns behind Victoire, they tripled in size, throwing the ones that were about to either pierce or stampede over Wolfgand into the wall to their left, the seats shook, the other side of the seats shouted in a mix of awe and fear at the heads of the unicorns, now big enough to reach the bleachers. This occupied Victoire enough for Narcissa to run the rest of the challenge undisturbed.
And just like that. Narcissa was the winner of the first challenge, followed by Victoire and lastly, Wolfgang.
And to Remus' surprise, there was a giant cheer from the Hogwarts students. Narcissa's skill had won her a horde of support and a staggering fear in the hearts of his cousin's friends.
The band started playing in her honour as she stepped on the podium. Wolfgang and Headmistress Girault were glaring daggers at her. Bellatrix stood by her side near the podium. And the Durmstrang headmistress awarded the medals.
This was going to be an dangerous tournament from now on.