The Golden Snitch

Prompt: Write about the dragon's egg from the Triwizard Tournament

Twelve Days of Christmas Competition

AJ, Kasai; Mahoutokoro.

Word count: 388

Cedric figured out the egg quicker than he probably should have, having payed attention to all his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and being particularly fond of Hagrid and his lesson plans. The screeching was familiar to him - as the only seventh year Hogwarts champion he supposed he should have been familiar with it. Mermaids, his mind shouted, screaming at him in a tone that was almost louder than the piercing sound coming out of the little golden egg. He quickly rushed up to the prefect's bathroom, egg in hand, knowing he was out well past curfew and would most likely get in serious trouble if caught.

He stripped quickly, leaving nothing but a pair of swimming trunks on as he slipped into the steamy water, placing the brilliant golden egg in carefully once he was shoulder deep. He looked up to the ceiling for a moment, smiling at how much it resembled a night sky - then he took a deep breath and plunged underneath the water. The egg was right in front of him, and he could see his hands reaching out to grab it, twisting it just right so that it would open. His eyes scrunched up out of habit, not wanting to hear the ear damaging sound again if he was wrong. Yet a smile slipped onto his face as the melodic voices of the merfolk sang out from the little golden egg.

He was only able to listen to it twice before he felt his lungs on fire, and with that he emerged from the water, taking deep breaths in and out with an ecstatic smile on his face. Perhaps, Cedric supposed, he could be considered lucky to have figured it out so fast. After all, they'd only gotten the eggs from underneath the dragons earlier that day. A towel was sitting on the bench nearby, and so he quickly pulled it around himself, drying off his hair last and slipping back into his Hogwarts uniform. One sole thought was on his mind as he moved throughout the halls and back to the Hufflepuff common room. One sole thought on chivalry and honor, of returning a favor that had pretty much saved his life. The single thought that flitted through his head as he drifted off to sleep.

I have to tell Harry.