Imperio ⇢ D.M

Chapter Eight

The First Task

~Arden Diggory~

"Care to explain this?" Draco said, tossing me a copy of the Daily Prophet. Slytherins around us stopped eating their breakfast and looked over to me. The front page of the Daily Prophet, featured a photo of my family and I smiling and laughing, a photo of Harry and I hugging yesterday, and a standalone photo of me smiling. The article featuring me was titled "Girl Worth Winning For." by Rita Skeeter. Oh great.

Draco was waiting for me to read the article he's showing me. Other students around were looking at the paper, trying to read the text. I picked up the paper and started to read aloud.

Arden Diggory, another face to look out for during the Triwizard Tournamentq. Familiar with the surname? Arden happens to be the younger sister of Triwizard champion, Cedric Diggory!

Miss Diggory has also attracted the attention of Triwizard champion Harry Potter. The two were sighted sharing a tender moment together on Hogwarts grounds. The two have been rumoured to be a couple.

However, an anonymous witness tells us that miss Diggory is jealous of her older brother's sudden fame, and is using Potter to be in the limelight. Other witnesses tell us that the two are a perfectly happy couple.

Cedric Diggory denies all accusations that Arden is deceiving Harry with her looks for fame.

More updates on the happy couple soon!

I scowled and threw the paper to the ground.

"Lies!" I cursed. "Who in their bloody right mind decides to publish this fake garbage!" Students at the table all became disinterested with the paper and started gossiping about Harry and I. I rolled my eyes and got up from the table, taking a few pieces of bacon as I did.

"So you and Potter aren't a thing?" Draco asked.

"I already told you Draco, Harry and I aren't a thing. It was a friendly hug, alright?" I reassured. Draco nodded, and I bit a piece from one of my bacon strips.  Draco snatched a strip from my hands and started chewing on it.

"Good, I'd very much have to reconsider our friendship if you were dating that Potter."

"Who I dated wouldn't matter if this were a real friendship." I sneered. Draco took another one of my strips and ate that one as well. "Hey, get your own!" I snapped, trying to take the strip back. Draco held the strip up above his head, being absolutely impossible for me to reach even if I jumped.

"Well that's what you get for being snarky with me, Diggory." Draco smirked at me and kept his hand up high. After jumping probably a thousand times, I gave up.

"You're snarky with everyone, why does it matter if I do it." I said, grabbing more bacon from the table.

"It's just who I am." He finished off my bacon and licked the tip of his fingers. "So, excited for the tournament today?"

"I'm a bit nervous... Who knows what will happen." I sighed.

"I reckon today will be great. Potters probably going to come last." Draco laughed and saw my unamused expression. "I'm sure your brother will do great though."

"I hope he does, I'm really worried about him."

-

The crowd was roaring with cheers, waiting for the first champion to emerge from the tent to fight a dragon. I was sitting in the middle of Draco and Blaise Zabini. Everyone around me was wearing Potter Stinks badges, and quite frankly it was really annoying me. Not because of what was on the badge, but the twisting sound on the badge happened on everyone's badges at the same time. It was driving me insane.