Chapter 4: Sacrifice
In a carriage flying above in the clouds, students of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic were sitting, chatting among themselves. Mostly they were talking about the upcoming tournament. It was the Triwizard Tournament in ages. All of them were gossiping except a blonde girl with blue eyes. Even those with no sense of beauty would tell you that she was beautiful. The way she sat, showed that even she knew it. She had a frown on her face. A boy approached her, unlike the regular riff raff that were leering and drooling he seemed unaffected by her charm.
===========================================
Fleur Delacour was a powerful witch. She was a quarter veela, and beauty was a feature among them. But even among her peers she stood out her magical prowess right up there with her beauty. Most of the boys would leer and drool at her, and at one command would be at her feet. Yet he was not. He was never there. Even when she had told him about his belief in her he had rejected her. She was angry and broken yet after talking with Montague she came to know the truth. Though she believed in him, he was scared. How could someone like him be scared was lost to her but she later understood, he was not scared for himself. He had accepted his fate long ago. He was scared for her, for the anguish and pain she would have to endure. She understood, yet she hated him for it.
It showed that he cared about her, though that was not much of a shock. He cared about her a lot and hence he would always put her above him. He had been ruthless in breaking up with her, yet here she was again thinking about him. She saw Montague approach him. He was among the few individuals, who could repel her allure. Was it due to the violent nature of his betrothed or his mental fortitude was a mystery but he was a friend? He sat down on the seat near her and spoke,
"I got a letter from Ana, she said he found it. He is working to complete the ritual."
She was happy on the inside again feeling proud that her belief in him was not for nothing. He had done the impossible. She was brilliant at charms but Crovius was like a library, the sheer amount of knowledge he had would put Maters to shame. He had been working towards the ritual for 10 years now. And he had done it, she did not need to know the details.
"I always knew he would do it. But why are you telling me this. He is nothing to me"
She said hiding her happiness. HE looked at her with an expression of' are you kidding me lady'.
"Then I should burn this letter here right now, hmm. Perhaps he wrote it to someone else."
She tried to grab the letter and after some struggle grabbed only to find it the one being from Ana.
She glared at him as he smirked," Where is the letter."
"He did not write one though according to Ana. He has been very busy and week. He is living on borrowed time they say." His expression turned sad at the condition of his friend.
"Do you know about his family?" he asked knowing about the news being in the papers and her father being who he was would have told her about it.
She nodded and her face adopted a look of sadness. How his family could be so cruel to him was lost on her. Despite his affliction, he had struggled through all that pain and suffering and they had not supported him through it and now they had kicked him out. She hated them, hated them for scarring him, for hurting him.
"How long till he completes it?" she asked knowing that he would have an answer.
"I don't know, but according to Ana he is gathering materials right now, he did not tell her the materials required but she thinks that he would have them by the time we reach the castle."
"Good." She said and again focused her thoughts on the blonde boy that was often occupying her mind for the past five years. She was a witch and she was not one to back down. She had decided on him five years ago and she would not settle for anybody.
Get ready we are now approaching Hogwarts. All students settle down and arrange their belongings.
It was time to meet the boy of her dreams, Crovius was going to be his no matter for a year or for whole life.
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office thinking of two of his students, Harry Potter had been less than impressive in his studies. The boy had a penchant for getting lucky, which was good but other than that and his high magical prowess he was normal. He would be a strong wizard but he did not have the drive that prodigies like himself and Tom had. Perhaps he was at fault for him turning out like this. Lily Potter had been wizard that could hold Voldemort at bay, though it was through trickery, but even then, it was no small feat. Harry Potter had much to learn if he was ever to beat Tom and he could not see him getting there.
Other than Harry, the student that occupied his mind was Mr. Crovius Malfoy. He was privy to his theoretical scores often even reading his papers and found in him a mind that could rival his own. He was a true prodigy yet he was cursed. Born with an affliction century old that most of them had forgotten about it. But then he pushed through it, he was now recorded as the longest living Imperfictus. He was coming here to complete his education, such dedication but alas he could do nothing, ousted from the family and mostly isolated from his peers. There was no hope. Severus Snape entered his office and seeing the look on the man's face he knew about the topic at hand.
"What do you need Severus?" he asked hoping that this was not about what he thought.
"Albus, I think you should think again. We should provide him with the ritual details. I told you to give it to me years ago, Lucius might have even been able to gather the ingredients."
"You know Severus, I can not do that. The ritual is a hopeless one and far darker than I am comfortable with." He said again denying him the information. Nicholas had given it to him and he had looked at it. The ritual was dark magic and he would not let it be used on his watch.
"But it is his life we are talking about. The boy with such a brilliant mind would help us in the war."
Albus was tempted almost tempted, but he stopped himself. No such magic was never meant to be used.
"Albus."
"No Severus. As I said it is very risky. Such magic will not be used on my watch." He said with finality in his voice and Snape stopped. He took a vial from his desk and gave it to him.
"This was from Nicholas. It is a specific potion; it would make sure that he feels no pain. Give it to him from me."
Snape looked at the vial and then at the man. He gains saw how ruthless Dumbledore could really be, he was no saint. He was just a manipulator who would always look out for his own vision for his 'greater good'. He took the vial and left his office thinking again of his student who would perhaps be attending his last days at Hogwarts.
The dueling was on going, she stared at her opponent. He was wearing a mask, not uncommon. But his posturing talked about his training. The referee gave the signal and she started.
"Expelliarmus," straight at him not giving him chance but he sidestepped it and sent a chain at her,
"Expelliarmus. Stupefy. Petricius." She tried a shield charm which blocked them all, the exchange continued but just as he was about to pin her down with his spell. He stopped, her insticts kicked in and she shot a banishsing spell at him. He was hurled across the arena. She had won, but she was not satisified, why did he stop. She went towards him, he was still on the floor, his mask was off and then she saw him convulsing on the floor. Blood coming out of his ears and nose. He could not shout, but she shouted horrified at his state.
"HELP.HELP" and the hoard of healers came to take him away.
She waited outside his room, feeling a bit guilty. The healers came out and she sneaked in. He sat there smiling. Why was he smiling, he saw her and smiled?
"What are you doing here miss?"
"Fleur, Fleur Delacour. And I just wanted to apologize."
"There is no need...
This was the beginning of the most impossible yet possible romance she ever knew
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone