Chapter 4: "The First Task"

"I can't believe today is the first task," said Beth nervously as she stood beside Hermione as they waited for the teacher. Draco Malfoy came in the room. "I can't believe it! Bethany is dating a mud blood!" "Shut Malfoy," said Beth angrily. "Oh no. Did I anger the Hogwarts champion?" "She said shut up," snapped Hermione. "Oh the lesbian mud blood is mad too." Beth snapped at that comment. She transformed and immediately pounced on Malfoy, fangs bared. Draco's face went paler then usual. "Beth, please don't!" Hermione pleaded. By this time Pansy Parkinson was hysterical.

All the sudden Beth felt herself being lifted by magic. She looked to see the Transfiguration teacher of Beauxbatons holding her in the air. "So on of our students is an Animagus," she said smiling. The professor then began to use the same spell Bethany's dad had used on Ron's pet rat Scabbers to make him show his true form. Bethany fell to the ground in human form. "Miss Lupin please come to the front of the room. The rest of you please take your seats." Bethany proceeded to the front of the room while the other students took their seats. Hermione quickly took her seat and watched Beth worriedly. Beth just smiled back at her. "So Miss Lupin, You are the daughter of Remus Lupin, are you not?" "Yes Madame." The professor opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by the classroom door opening. "Bethany Lupin is to come with me to prepare for the first task." Bethany giggled nervously as she followed Professor McGonagall out of the Transfigurations class.

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Bethany sat in a room with the two other champions, nervously bouncing her leg. She then began to think about what happened in Transfigurations. *Good job Beth. Now Hermione thinks you're insane. Not the best way to get her to like you. * She groaned in frustration as she buried her face in her hands. * I wish I could tell her how I feel. *

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Hermione crowed in a set of stands with the other students. * Bethany stood up for me * Hermione held the book she had been carrying with her since the dance, close to her chest. * Beth someday I'll tell you how I really feel. I know I can't keep it locked inside me forever. I just wish I knew how you feel *

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The three champions sat in the tent, the air full of tension. "Good! You're all here." The champions looked up to see Mr. Bagman now standing in the tent with them. "Its time to fill you in of the first task. When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag"- he held black satin bag and shook it at them- "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different-er- varieties, you. The task is to collect the golden egg!" Beth nodded slowly as Bagman's gaze fell upon her. Then it seemed about a second later to Beth before Bagman was opening the neck of the black satin bag.

"Ladies first," he said offering it to Bethany. She reached into the bag and pulled out a model of a dragon with the number two around its neck. The other two champions followed her suit. "Each of you pulled out a dragon you will face. The numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons. Now when the whistle sounds the champion who drew one will go first. "

Soon after Bagman left a whistle sounded somewhere. The Beauxbatons champion left, looking rather pale. It was worse then Beth could imagine, sitting there listening to the crowd shout and yell. The Durmstrung champion put a hand on Beth's shoulder as the whistle. Beth shook herself out of it and walked out of the tent shaking slightly.

Bethany stood on the field, her wand clutched tightly in her hand. She looked up at the dragon and it stared back at her with cold, yellow eyes. She raised her wand and the next thing she knew it was asleep in front of her. She didn't remember saying the spell, nor could she hear the crowd cheering. The only thing she could hear was the rapid beating of her heart in her chest. As soon as she realized the dragon was down she bolted for the egg. However she didn't count on the dragon breathing fire in its sleep. The dragon snored loudly, shooting fire out of its nose. It Beth in the leg. She winced but continued for the egg. She tripped and fell close to the egg. She reached out and grabbed it, pulling it close to her chest. The Hogwarts students cheered loudly.

Beth stood up keeping the weight off her right leg. Madam Pomfrey rushed over to Beth and immediately began to take care of her burn. Seconds after Hermione was there as well. Hermione threw her arms around Beth, repeating over and over again how she was glad Beth was ok. Bethany felt her skin heat at Hermione's touch. She pulled Hermione into her arms.

"Way to go Beth!" Ron shouted as he, Harry, and Ellena approached. Hermione quickly pulled out of Bethany's grasp. "You're in second place," said Ellena smiling. "So I got burned and all I get is second place," laughed Beth. "You're lucky that's all you got," said Hermione eyeing her, "Your injuries could have been alot worse. " Harry laughed. "She did good and I bet if you open the egg a clue to the second task is there." Bethany proceeded to open the egg, while Hermione, Ron and Harry covered their ears expecting a loud screeching noise. However there was no sound only a piece of parchment. Hermione leaned over Beth's shoulder as she read it. "First tell me the person who lives in disguise, who deals in secrets and tells not but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of middle the end of the end? And finally give me the sound often heard during the search for a hard to find word. Now string them together and answer me this, Which creature would be unwilling to kiss? We've taken what you've surely miss, an hour long you'll have to look to recover what we took. But past an hour the prospect's black, too late, it's gone it won't come back " Hermione continued to look it over. "So these lead up to a creature you would be unwilling to kiss?" "Maybe its Snape," answered Ellena. "Whatever it is they took something of mine or will be," said Beth rolling the paper back up. Harry smiled. He recognized the parts of this clue, but he figured Beth needed to figure this out for herself.