“Yes, very well,” Dumbledore opened the chamber doors. The champions and headmasters exited the room, except for Draco who didn’t move from his spot.

Until Potter looked back and saw Draco planted there. “What’s wrong Malfoy? Forgot how to use your legs?” he teased, “Or are you so afraid you’ll lose you can hardly move?”

And just like that the world returned to its axis. Draco pushed his worries to the back of his mind and scowled. “The only thing I’ll be losing Potter,” he spat the boy’s name with extra venom, “is my time. This tournament is as good as won.” He boasted and did a damn good job of sounding like he meant it.

Potter scoffed. “Seems to me like what you’re losing is your grip on reality, Malfoy.”

Draco quickly circumambulated the staff table to join the other champions and Crouch on their spot next to the goblet, giving Potter a light shove when he passed by him.

When Draco and Potter finally arrived the Minister made the four stand side by side and then resumed talking to the audience. “Sorry about that everyone,” he cleared his throat, “Now please give a big round of applause to your four champions.”

The Great Hall gave what could only be described as confused applause. Most people had a look that said “Wait, is this right?” while clapping. They were certainly wondering why Hogwarts had an extra competitor. Most of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws made a point not to clap, some even booed. Potter looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him.

Suddenly a flash hit Draco’s eyes. That Gryffindor midget, Creevey, had taken a picture of the champions with that blasted camera of his. Draco made a mental note to destroy it later.

“Now some instructions are in order,” Crouch turned to the champions, “Your first task will take place this Tuesday at exactly fourteen hundred at a secret location on the Hogwarts campus. Your headmasters are in charge of escorting you the day of the event, so don’t worry about how you’ll get there. Champions are not permitted to receive assistance from professors and for this task the only magical equipment allowed is your wand.”

“And to help you on the task, we have a clue. Of sorts.” Crouch flicked his wand, and a thin purple briefcase that was sitting on his vacant seat on the staff table floated to his hand.

He opened the briefcase and Draco could see three metal cylinders inside. “Go ahead, take one.” Delacour, who was closest to Minister Crouch, grabbed hers, then Krum his, but when Draco moved to take his, Crouch stopped him.

“We did not anticipate a fourth champion so you boys will have to share. It’s enchanted against doubling charms, before you ask” Crouch said to him and Potter, took the cylinder himself and handed it to Draco.

He started to examine the cylinder while Potter watched. There was a circular glass on one end of the cylinder and a smaller one at the other. Draco grabbed the smaller glass and pulled, it slid to reveal another section of the cylinder, much smaller than the other. He continued to pull and another section, this time a little bigger appeared between them. He continued to pull until a fourth and final section, larger than the one behind it and smaller than the one in front of it, slid into place.

He could see now that the cylinder was actually a collapsible telescope. Something the other champions had already figured out.

“The telescope is a puzzle.” Minister Crouch clarified, “It'll give you a big clue to what the first task is, if you manage to solve it that is.”

“You don’t have to though. You can go at the task blind, but having some information might help you prepare and increase your chances of performing well. I’ll give you a hint: Look at the stars,” Crouch told them, pointing upward with both hands, then he walked away to speak with Dumbledore.

Draco looked at the telescope in his hand contemptuously. Stupid Ministry of Diplomacy and its stupid little games within games. Draco sighted. He should get a move on, he was their pawn now too.

Draco approached Professor Sinistra, who was sitting at the right end of the staff table. She looked bored in her dazzling purple robes and hat. “Professor, could you please unlock the Astronomy Tower? You heard Minister Crouch, we have to look at the stars.”

“Of course dear,” she yawned, “Follow me.” She got up from her seat and started the long, long trek to the Astronomy Tower, with Draco in tow.

His tower idea was really to get as far from his housemates as possible. They would no doubt pester him with questions and flattery and Draco did not have the stomach to entertain them right now.

When he passed between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, he did not meet their expectant looks and looked at the ceiling instead. It displayed the emblems of the three schools rather than the customary night sky. Draco had missed when that change happened, perhaps they have been there since morning. He had also missed Potter, who was currently running up to him.

“Where are you going Malfoy? That's my telescope too,” Potter whined.

“To the Astronomy Tower.”

“Why?”

“To look at the stars, Potter. Isn’t it obvious?”

Potter shut up, perhaps because he had to admit going to the Astronomy Tower was actually a good idea. The boys were silent as they followed Professor Sinistra. For most of the way. While walking the endless spiral staircase that led up to the tower Potter started to complain again.

“We could have watched the stars just as fine from the ground, Malfoy.”

“If you want to leave Potter, feel free. I did not invite you to follow me.”

“My telescope, which you are holding, did.”

“Five points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin,” Professor Sinistra said without looking back at them, “I won’t unlock the tower if you keep bickering, I’m not even supposed to be helping. You boys are both champions, meant to represent the best Hogwarts has to offer. It’s unbecoming to snipe at each other.”

“Sorry Professor,” Draco and Potter said at the same time.

When they finally arrived at the top Professor Sinistra said the password, “Halley,” and the old wooden doors to the astronomy classroom parted open. “The room is yours boys. Do you know  what you’re looking for exactly?”

“No clue,” Potter answered, “Mister Crouch simply said to look at the stars,” 

Professor Sinistra hummed to acknowledge his reply then suddenly focused her attention on something next to her feet. “Who left you down here?” the professor asked the model of Venus who was laying on the ground. She made a tiny gesture with her left hand and Venus floated back to its place on the orrery. She then went to her table to organize some papers.

Draco approached the balcony and made the mistake of looking down. The vertigo made him instantly jolt backwards and he hit Potter.

“Do you not know what personal space is Potter!?” Draco snapped.

“How was I supposed to know you would walk backwards Malfoy!?”

“Boys!” Professor Sinistra reprimanded them from her table, “What have we just talked about?”

Draco sighed. “Here’s how it's going to work, Potter. I’ll use the telescope first, then if I'm not done in an hour, you can have your turn. Now, would you kindly go away?”

Potter huffed, but went somewhere else to mess with some lunar charts. Finally Draco had some peace and quiet. He put the telescope to his right eye and started searching the sky.

The gorgeous night sky above him and the gentle breeze on his face reminded Draco of stargazing with his Mother when he was little. They used to lie on a silk blanket in the garden till past midnight, watching the stars while Narcissa would teach Draco about the cosmos.

She seemed to know everything, the orbit of every planet, the story of how each constellation got its name. She said astronomy was very important to the House of Black. Most Blacks were named after celestial bodies, a tradition his mother had continued when naming Draco, and all Blacks were supposed to have the name of each star which composes all eighty-eight constellations memorised. Before coming to Hogwarts Draco had already learned everything he’d had to study in his first three years of astronomy.

Draco frowned, thinking about his Mother made him realize he would have to owl his parents to let them know about the tournament sooner or later. He didn’t want to, of course, but they would be very upset if they missed their son competing. He could feel his anxiety creeping up again. Draco started to move the telescope around faster. The bloody thing had better do something soon.

“Professor,” Draco heard Potter’s grating voice in the distance, “how do you do that if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Do what dear?”

“Magic without a wand. I know it’s possible to do magic without speaking, but you’re the only person I’ve seen performing magic without a wand, besides house-elves.”

“Where I come from it’s the only way to do it. We don’t use wands, staves or any other conduit in Zerzura. The school we go to, Uagadou, teaches us to perform magic using only our being.”

“Why are we taught to perform magic with wands here at Hogwarts then? Isn’t it inferior?”

“Not really, one is not more powerful than the other. And there are advantages to using a wand. Spells can be learned faster and some are significantly less dangerous to perform for the first time. And there’s also the societal factor.”

“What do you mean Professor?” Potter asked dumbly.

“If a wizard in this country breaks the law, you can take away his wand and he will be no different from a muggle. He can be detained and imprisoned. Capital punishment is... very common in Zerzura,” she lamented. The sorrow in her voice made Draco wonder if Professor Sinistra had lost a loved one to her homeland’s justice system.

Father had told him their Lord was so adept at magic he did not have to use a wand. Perhaps he had studied at Uagadou, Draco wondered. Not that it did Him any good. He’s still a rotting corpse now. It’s so like Potter, he can kill the most powerful wizard of all time as an infant, but take Draco’s place as champion? Oh no, he can’t do that. Useless git.

“Why the questions, Mister Potter? Are you unsatisfied with your wand?”

“I quite like my wand,” Potter laughed, “I was just curious.”

“Of course you do. Boys just love their wands, don’t you?” Professor Sisnistra chuckled, “You should visit Zerzura, dear. I have a feeling you would love it.”

“Do you miss your homeland Professor?”

“Some nights more than others,” she sighted, “but I could never go back, Hogwarts is my home now.”

Draco didn't know how much more time he could bear to spend moving the telescope from star to star. Eventually, by a stroke of luck, he pointed the telescope between the two bears and found the tail of his namesake sandwiched between them. He walked back a step, moved the telescope slightly up and got the entire Draco constellation into view. Not a second passed and the constellation’s reflection on the telescope grew bright for a moment and in its place on the lens was left an elaborate drawing of a dragon.

Could this be it? Dragons? Surely not, the government would not spring one of the most dangerous magical creatures there is on a bunch of students for entertainment.

Who was Draco kidding of course it would. The government could not bother less if someone died in its daft games. He is going to face dragons Tuesday, Draco was sure.

They are all going to face dragons, but there was no reason Potter had to know. Draco grabbed his wand and pointed to the lens. “Scourgify,” he said quietly and the drawing was wiped off. He smiled, with the ink gone forever Potter would be looking at the stars in vain.

“I tire of this,” Draco announced and did a fake yawn, “You can have your turn now Potter, I’m going to sleep.” He waited for Potter to approach him and handed the telescope over without meeting his gaze. He couldn’t let Potter see his smile or he would have suspected something.

He looked back one last time to the constellation that gave his name. Draco chose to believe its small appearance in the tournament was a sign of good things to come. He climbed down the Astronomy Tower feeling a little better about the future than he was feeling when climbing up.