Safe and Sound

Gabrielle Delacour waited with baited breath as the Hogwarts headmaster, the old man with the beard, drew the first champion out of the Goblet of Fire.

"And the champion for Beauxbatons," he caught the piece of paper that had flown out, she crossed her fingers under the table, hoping with all her might that it was not her sister, "Is Fleur Delacour" the old man finished.

Gabrielle felt her mouth drop open, there was no way that could be true, there were thirty five people with their names in, and Fleur's name had been called. She felt tears stinging in her eyes as Fleur got up from the table and made her way towards the front, not showing any signs of weakness. Gabrielle wanted to run to her, to beg her to revoke the championship even though she knew that it couldn't be done. She had about the Triwizard Tournament and how dangerous it was. She had begged Fleur not to put her name in, but she had anyway, telling Gabrielle that it was an honour to be picked. She just wished that Fleur had listened to her.

She barely heard the other champions being called, only that there was an extra one that had come out afterwards with Harry Potter's name written on it. Gabrielle didn't care, to her, Harry Potter was just an extra person in the tournament that could defeat her sister. She wanted Fleur there to reassure her that she would be alright, that they would both make it through this; that Fleur would win the tournament and they could go back to France and forget that it ever happened.

"Gabrielle," Fleur's friend, Veronique said, touching her briefly on the arm, "allons-y"

"J'arrive" Gabrielle responded, taking one last fleeting look at the door to the chamber of the hall where her sister was surely being briefed on the Triwizard Tournament. With one last look, she turned and walked after Veronique as the rest of the Beauxbatons students filed out of the hall. She drew wrapped her arms around herself as they exited into the dark, chilly grounds. The flimsy blue Beauxbatons robes were made of silk, and not practical for when their transport was a fifteen minute walk from the main castle.

Gabrielle thought of nothing but her sister, or as she would now be referred to, the Beauxbatons champion. She hoped that Fleur wasn't frightened by what she had to do, she hoped that Fleur was being brave so that the other champions couldn't see her weaknesses.

Her thoughts landed on her parents, she would be just as in the dark as they were at the moment if she hadn't been sent along as a cheerleader for the tournament, she was only twelve years old and therefore definitely not allowed to offer to take her sister's place, not that she would be allowed to anyway.

She resolved to let Fleur write to their mother and father, it would be best coming from her, not their frightened twelve year old daughter.

Gabrielle stopped suddenly, turning back around to face the castle, with its many turrets and towers and its welcoming windows full of warmth. Nothing bad could ever happen here, much less someone dying, but then again, Gabrielle knew nothing of the Hogwarts history, she knew nothing of the tragedies that had occurred there in the past. She was just creating an illusion that Fleur would be fine no matter what the task.

She stood stock still in the freezing grounds, waiting for Fleur to come down to the carriage with Madame Maxime, she wanted to make sure Fleur was alright, she wanted Fleur to tell her that everything was going to be alright, she wanted Fleur by her side, just like she had been for the past twelve years.

She hid in the shadows as the rest of the Hogwarts students filed into the Arena where the first task would be played, waiting for the last people to walk in. She then walked around the boundaries towards a large tent where she knew Fleur would be soon as she came to prepare for the task. She stood outside of the tent, waiting, watching.

"Fleur, Fleur," Gabrielle yelled as she saw her older sister coming down towards the tent from the Beauxbatons carriage.

"Gabrielle," she said in relief, hurrying over to hug her sister. "ça va?"

"Oui, ça va, et toi?" Gabrielle said, burying her face in Fleur's shoulder as she flung herself into her sister's arms.

"Oui," Fleur said, stroking Gabrielle's blonde hair.

"You were chosen for a reason." Gabrielle said, breaking off the hug and looking at Fleur, tears forming in her blue eyes, "And that was to win."

"Yes," Fleur said, looking at Gabrielle with a smile on her face. Gabrielle could see right through the mask she was putting on, she could see the fear in her older sister's eyes.

"I don't want you to die!" Gabrielle said, flinging herself back into Fleur's arms. "You have to pull through okay?"

"I'm not going to die ma petite soeur," Fleur said, using the affectionate title that she had given to Gabrielle when she was born, "I'll be alright, Gabrielle, you will be alright."

"Are you scared?" Gabrielle said, tears clouding her vision.

"Beyond belief," Fleur whispered, "But I'm going to win this, okay? For both of us"

Gabrielle unhooked the necklace that Fleur had given her for her seventh birthday; it was a small golden heart with the words "personne ne peut vous blesser maintenant" engraved on it. Fleur had given it to her after she had had a large amount of nightmares, and she hadn't taken it off since. Fleur had always been her guardian angel; protecting, comforting and standing up for her since the day that she was born. To think that it would all be taken away from her with a silly tournament didn't bear thinking about.

"Bonne Chance, Fleur." She said, handing the necklace over to Fleur as a tear rolled down her cheek, "To protect you?"

"Merci, ma petite soeur." Fleur said, kissing Gabrielle on the top of her head and pulling her into a hug. "I promise you I will win this for you."

"I know you will." Gabrielle said into Fleur's shoulder, "You'll be alright, Fleur."

"Go and cheer me on ma petite soeur." Fleur said, giving Gabrielle a push towards the entrance to the arena. Gabrielle smiled back at Fleur as she took a shaky breath in and walked into the champions tent. Gabrielle knew that Fleur would be true to her word, and even if she did lose, she would've tried her hardest to win. Either way, Gabrielle knew that in a few hours, this task would all be over, and Fleur would be Safe and Sound.

AN: For lunalestrange4's Characterisation Competition and Sparkling Soul's songfic challenge.

FRENCH TRANSLATIONS:

Allons-y: Let's Go

J'arrive: I'm coming

Ça va?: Are you alright

Oui, ça va, et toi?: Yes, I'm fine, and you

Oui: Yes

Ma Petite Soeur: My little sister

personne ne peut vous blesser maintenant: No one can hurt you now

merci: Thank you

Bonne Chance: Good luck

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Potter On

~The Original Horcrux~