Hello everyone! Here's chapter 4, hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 4
Harry slumped heavily against the door to her suite, wiping the sweat from her brow. She'd been shadowing Hagrid's probably-a-date with Madame Maxime for the past hour. Apparently, the 'geniuses' who designed the tournament felt a dragon would be an excellent obstacle for the First Task. And not just any old dragons. No, they decided to go full-retard and bring in bloody nesting mothers! Reworked to make the tournament safer, her perfect arse! Harry was sure there was a way to succeed, but she couldn't think of a plan at the moment as her thoughts were currently stuck in a cycle of 'shitfuckshitfuckI'mgonnageteaten!' Fortunately, she wasn't too distracted to miss the deep, male voice frantically whispering her name.
"HARRY!"
She snapped her neck to the fireplace and had the oddest sensation of seeing her godfather's head engulfed in flames. "SIRIUS?"
"SHHH!" Sirius… shushed her. "Someone might hear you!"
"I live alone in the Gryffindor Head Girl suite now."
Sirius blinked. "Oh," he said eloquently. "Well then, pardon me." His head vanished from the flames, but before Harry could register what just happened, the rest of him stepped through the floo. Her Godfather looked much better than the last time she'd seen him, but then again the last time she'd seen him he'd nearly been executed so that was a pretty low bar. Sirius still had the same haunted look in his eyes, but his robes were newer, he'd groomed his hair, and he'd even gotten a bit of a tan.
Once he regained his sense of balance, Sirius immediately swept Harry up in a massive hug. "Hey there, pup! Gotta say, you're looking much prettier than the last time I saw you. Absolutely gorgeous!"
Harry blushed and lightly smacked his chest. "Shut up, Padfoot," she grumbled. Sirius laughed. "Anyways, what are you doing here?"
"To help my goddaughter of course!" Sirius said proudly, puffing out his chest.
Harry averted her gaze and bit her lip. "Goddaughter," she muttered. "Y-You're not mad, are you?" she asked hesitantly.
Sirius scratched his forehead. "For what?"
"Y'know…" Harry gestured to her feminine body.
"Oh, your prank!" Sirius said enthusiastically. "Merlin, no! Why would I be mad? I'm proud of you, pup! So damn proud! Pranking all of Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and the Ministry all at once?" He wiped some dust from his eyes. "James would've been thrilled to bits, let me tell you!"
Harry felt her cheeks heat up again, but she was okay with it this time. She smiled happily. "Thanks Sirius."
Her godfather dragged his fingers through his matted hair as he took a closer look at her. "Merlin, you look so much like your mother right now, pup! I swear, it's like looking at Lily at 14 again. Although…" He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. "Your jubblies are much bigger than your mother's were at that age. Something you wanna tell me?"
Harry's face flushed as red as her hair and she punched her dogfather in the arm- hard. "It's just the potion, you dirty old mutt!" she shrieked.
"I'm sure," he said skeptically, rubbing the bruise.
"If you're gonna be like that, then I won't tell you what Snape's reaction was when he saw me like this for the first time," she huffed, crossing her arms.
Sirius' eyes widened. "You pranked ol' Snivellus? Tell me! Tell me!"
Harry put a finger on her chin. "I dunno…" Sirius morphed into Padfoot and started wagging his tail. Harry laughed. "Down boy!" she quipped. Sirius barked then licked her face, which just made her laugh even harder. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you! Just stop!" Sirius morphed back into his human form, grinning victoriously. Harry rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips, then began her story.
Her tale had the old dog in stitches. He then reciprocated with fond recollections of the Marauders' greatest pranks. Harry took in everything Sirius said as if his words were the first drops of water she'd had to drink after being trapped in a desert for days. Eventually, the conversation shifted to Harry's more recent problems. She told her godfather about her reasons for her prank, how she felt about Ron still not talking to her, and the big one- her worries about the First Task.
Surprisingly, Sirius was a great listener, and during their whole conversation he was very… serious. He praised her for her actions, reassured her worries when needed, and advised her as best he could. The two came up with a plan to handle the dragon, and Harry felt much more confident about the task than she had mere hours ago. Sirius repeatedly mentioned how proud of her he was, and how proud James and Lily would've been. He told her what was most important was for her to enjoy herself and to have fun. The two stayed up late into the night, talking and spending time getting to know each other better.
When the morning sun started to rise, Sirius decided it was finally time for him to leave. With one last hug and a promise to see each other again as soon as possible, Sirius stepped back into the floo and returned to his safe house.
The next day after breakfast, Harry approached the Hufflepuff table. "Diggory, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, biting her lip. A few of Cedric's friends scowled at her, but she paid them no mind. The dark haired champion shrugged and swung his bag over his shoulders.
"Lead on, MacDuff- or, Lady MacDuff, as it were," Cedric joked, motioning forward.
Harry grinned, then led him to an empty classroom. She checked to make sure they were alone before closing the door and casting a privacy spell.
Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You know I have a girlfriend, right?" he teased.
Harry ignored him. "The First Task is dragons."
Cedric's amused grin instantly shifted into laser-sharp focus. "You're serious?"
"No, that's my godfa- never mind." Harry shook her head. "I swear, only one night and he's already corrupted me," she muttered. She turned back to the confused teen. "Anyways, I saw the dragons last night. Four nesting mothers- one for each of us. I'm pretty sure we'll just have to get past them though."
Cedric raked his fingers through his tousled hair and murmured something under his breath. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, eyeing her warily.
Harry blinked. "Maxime and Karkaroff saw them last night too, so Krum and Delacour probably know by now. That leaves you the odd man out."
Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Cedric smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Potter."
The redhead shrugged. "It's only fair." She grinned mischievously. "Besides, I'm not sharing any of my ideas. You're on your own for getting past it."
Cedric smirked back, but a lance of guilt pierced his heart when he met her eyes. "I'm sorry," he blurted out. Harry tilted her head to the side inquisitively. "About the tournament," he clarified. "I didn't believe you were innocent at first, and even after your 'accident' I haven't really done anything to stop the others from shunning you. I swear that'll change now, but still- I'm sorry."
"Oh." Harry bit her lip again and stared at the floor, subconsciously twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.
Cedric smiled sadly. "But you warned me about the dragons anyways. That's very Hufflepuff of you. Thank you. You're a good gu-gir-person. You're a good person, Potter."
"I'm a girl, Diggory," she snickered. "And please, call me Harry." She held out her hand.
Her fellow champion shook it. "Call me Cedric."
Harry grinned. "Good luck, Cedric."
He grinned back. "Same to you, Harry." Smiling widely, the youngest champion cancelled her privacy charm and left the room, feeling quite pleased with herself.
Cedric shook his head at her retreating back, vowing to somehow return the favor and atone for his mistakes. It wouldn't fully make up for it, but he would start by getting the students to stop shunning Harry. Should be simple enough. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws would listen to him when he spoke. Once he berated them all for treating Harry like a pariah, and after they see him treat her like a friend (which his honor insisted on regardless), they would stop... eventually.
He'd call for a house meeting after dinner. That way he could get all the Hufflepuffs together in one fell swoop. The Ravenclaws would be a bit trickier, but if there was one thing he'd learned in his time at Hogwarts, it was that the Rumor Mill was as terrifying as it was fast. There was nothing he could really do about the Slytherins, since they more more anti-Harry than pro-him, but judging by the latest rumors he'd heard, Harry seemed to have that well in hand.
Plan fully formed, Cedric whistled a jaunty tune as he made his way to the owlery to write a letter to his dad. The man worked at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures; he was sure to have an idea or two on how to deal with a pesky dragon.
The day of the First Task, Harry felt much less nervous than she'd been expecting to. She supposed it had something to do with the fact that- for once- she wasn't going into the danger blind and actually had a plan- a pretty good one, at that. Hermione had meticulously combed through the strategy she and Sirius had devised until it was flawless. In fact, Harry even felt- dare she say it?- optimistic!
After lunch, McGonagall lead her down to the champions' tent. The professor wasn't acting like her usual unflappable self, but Harry's confidence seemed to lift her spirits. After wishing her luck and telling her to do her best, McGonagall ushered her through.
The tent's decor was surprisingly pleasant, with two soft beds on both sides and a table full of snacks and refreshments in the middle. However, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner, murmuring in French, knees huddled close to her chest. Viktor Krum seemed to be meditating, his eyes were shut and a look of utmost concentration adorned his face. Cedric was pacing, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Every once in a while he would glance at the drinks- probably wishing they were offering something stronger than pumpkin juice. In contrast, Ludo Bagman was nearly vibrating with excitement, although he glared impatiently at his pocket watch before hearing the tent flap open.
"Harry! Come on in, make yourself at home!" Bagman said brightly, looking exceedingly ridiculous in his old Wimbourne Wasps robes. They were much too small on him, and his pot belly strained against the fabric. Had the man never heard of auto-sizing charms? Or Transfiguration?
The youngest champion pursed her lips. "That's Miss Potter to you, Mr. Bagman," she said frigidly. The man-child laughed nervously. Harry turned to her fellow champions and her expression did a complete one-eighty. "Why so glum everyone? You're acting like we're about to fight a dragon or something!" She plopped down on one of the beds, as if she hadn't a care in the world, helping herself to a crumpet. "The tournament was vetted this year to make it safer, remember? I'm sure the 'esteemed' organizers wouldn't assign such an insanely dangerous task like that!" Harry punctuated the end of her sentence with an angelic smile towards Bagman, who winced.
Viktor opened one eye and shot her an amused look, while Fleur whimpered and hugged herself tighter. Cedric on the other hand, barked out a laugh then gave her a shaky grin. "Yeah, there's no way the Ministry would be that stupid," he said, playing along. He winked discreetly at the other champions.
"Dragon von of most dangerous creatures in vorld," Viktor said gruffly, a wry smile on his lips. "Not safe at all."
"Non," Fleur agreed, voice trembling slightly. "Zey 'ould 'ave to be les imbéciles to make us fight a dragon."
Gulping heavily, Bagman awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, er- funny you should say that…" The four champions turned as one to glare at him, and he flinched. If he didn't know any better, he'd have sworn they already knew what the task was. "Er, you see, the First Task is to, collect the, ah… well, to collect the golden egg."
"The what?" Harry deadpanned. The other champions nodded in agreement as Bagman fidgeted some more.
"Well, er, there's a golden egg… and you need to collect it," he explained lamely. The four champions continued to glare and Bagman gulped heavily. For a group of teenagers, they were remarkably intimidating. "Well, you see, it's, er-" The four took perverse pleasure from his squirming. "The egg is, well, it's er- it's protected by a dragon," he admitted bluntly. "Nesting mothers, to be specific." Suddenly, he found the dirt to be extraordinarily fascinating.
"You are un imbécile," Harry said blithely. Fleur giggled, Cedric snorted, and Viktor smirked. Bagman grit his teeth as Harry sighed condescendingly. "Well, let's get this over with, Bagmoron."
The champions grinned as the man's complexion quickly turned as purple as the silk bag he pulled from his robes. "Ladies first, Miss Potter," he snarled, shoving the bag in Harry's face.
Smiling serenely, the youngest champion dipped her hand inside and pulled out a moving model of a Hungarian Horntail with a number four around its neck. The miniature dragon spread its wings and snapped at her fingers, but Harry grabbed it by the neck so it couldn't reach. Internally, she winced- just her luck she'd pick the most dangerous one. Externally, all she did was continue to smile as Bagman shook the bag at Fleur.
One by one, the others pulled their dragons out of the bag. Fleur drew the Welsh Green and the number two. Viktor, the Chinese Fireball and number three. After Cedric picked the remaining dragon, the Swedish Short-Snout, and the number one, Bagman stuffed the sack back in his pocket before striding out the tent. "Good luck," he muttered, as the tent flap closed behind him. Once he was out of sight, the champions finally gave in to their mirth.
Cedric laughed loudly and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "That was brilliant!" he praised, grinning madly.
"Da. Thank you, Miss Potter," rumbled Viktor, his gruff voice sounding highly amused. A small, vicious smile danced on his lips.
"Oui," Fleur concurred, stifling another giggle. "I needed zat. Merci, Mademoiselle."
"Call me 'Harry' you two, and there's no need to thank me," the redhead replied. "Believe me, it was my pleasure." Cedric snorted and the two foreigners smiled.
"Fleur zen, s'il vous plaît."
"And I am Viktor, da?"
"Nice to meet you, Fleur and Viktor!" Harry said cheerfully, holding out her hand.
"This is long overdue, but 'Welcome to Hogwarts!'" Cedric added, offering his own. "Cedric Diggory."
The four champions shook hands and shared conspiratory smiles. Bagman's magically enhanced, exuberant voice declaring the start of the First Task- a little too exuberantly, in their opinion- brought them back to reality. As if a switch had been flipped- or, more likely, a charm cancelled- the roar of the crowd was now audible. A whistle was heard, and Cedric gulped as the crowd began chanting his name. The Hufflepuff drew his wand and gripped it tightly.
"Hey, when this is over, you wanna get dinner together? Just the four of us?" Cedric asked calmly, his whitening knuckles the only indication of the terror he felt.
"Oui," Fleur told him softly. Viktor nodded in agreement.
"We could use my suite," Harry offered. "It should be big enough, and I know an elf who'd be thrilled to help out."
Cedric smiled wryly. "Brilliant." He took a deep breath then squared his shoulders and set his face in determination. "Well… here goes nothing." The Hufflepuff champion marched out the tent, looking much more confident than he felt.
As the three older champions followed one after the other to face their respective dragons, Harry was left to sit on a bed, her legs curled into her chest the way Fleur had done earlier. She'd been so sure of her plan in the beginning, but waiting for her new friends to get past one of the most dangerous creatures in the magical world, knowing it would soon be her turn, was completely nerve wracking. She wished she'd been the one to go first.
Worse still, was the crowd. Being unable to watch, but forced to listen, as they gasped and shrieked, sent her imagination into overdrive. Her confidence started to slip as various 'what if' scenarios besieged her mind.
All too soon, it was finally time. Desperately clinging to her godfather's reassurances that the plan would work, Harry gulped and drew her wand. She entered the arena, trying to look as confident as she could. A glint of gold immediately caught her attention, and she located her target. The egg was vastly overshadowed though by the beast who protected it. Harry looked up at the snarling Hungarian Horntail, taking extra notice of the nesting mother's immense bulk, razor-sharp talons, and spiked tail. Every inch of the dragon seemed to be a weapon of some sort, and she couldn't locate even a single weak point.
Dimly, she heard the whistle being blown, signaling the start of the task. The dragon roared, and the sound snapped Harry from her daze. The Gryffindor's eyes hardened. She may have been forced into the tournament, but she'd be damned before she'd let herself get taken out in the opening act! She'd killed a basilisk, fended off a hundred dementors simultaneously, and fought Voldemort thrice- a dragon was nothing in comparison. Shoving down her fear, she raised her wand to initiate Phase 1 of her plan.
"Accio Firebolt!" she cried, and her conveniently placed broom came zooming out from under Hermione's seat, and into her waiting hands. The dragon opened her mouth to rain down a storm of fire, but Harry jinked to the side and took cover behind a boulder to avoid it. When the dragon paused to breathe, she mounted her beloved broomstick and shot up high into the sky.
Being in the air eased all the tension from Harry's body. She could no longer hear the clamor of the crowd, and the pressure she'd been under simply faded away. The familiar rush of flying enveloped her, reassured her, and filled her with confidence. She'd always been more comfortable in the skies than on land. Here, in her element, she was safe. Here, she could do anything.
Narrowing her eyes at the furious Horntail chained to the ground, Harry was struck by a sudden brainwave. Figuring at worst it wouldn't work and she'd resume her original plan, she pointed her wand at her throat and cast the Sonorous Charm. Picturing a snake in her mind's eye, she hissed out the magical language of Parseltongue, her voice echoing through the arena.
"Sssstop, I mean you no harm!" Amazingly, the dragon quieted down. The nesting mother also no longer seemed blindingly furious, only mildly irritated now. She looked curious too, and Harry took that as a sign to continue. "I mean you no harm," she repeated. "One of your eggssss issss a fake, I ssssimply wish to collect it."
The dragon's eyes widened and she swiveled to look at her eggs. Noticing the golden counterfeit, she howled her fury to the heavens and breathed an inferno skywards. She then turned to glare at Harry questioningly, and somehow, Harry understood what she was asking.
"I ssssswear I will not harm your eggssss, and I will leave in peace after retrieving the fake." The dragon glowered, but Harry met her gaze unflinchingly. She had a gut feeling showing any weakness right now would be the last thing she ever did. Slowly, the Horntail dipped her head, but Harry refused to sigh in relief- not until it was over. She floated down under the nesting mother's watchful gaze. She picked up the golden egg then flew over to the exit. "Thank you."
As Harry exited the arena, she could have sworn she heard a voice saying, "You're welcome." By the time she looked back however, the dragon's attention had returned to her brood.
Madam Pomfrey was unsure how to handle the fact that Harry was completely unscathed, and settled for shoving a Pepper-Up Potion and a Calming Draught into her hands and ordering her to drink them both before stalking away, grumbling under her breath. Harry grinned at her Healer's retreating back and did as ordered. She felt her adrenaline start to fade away as the Calming Draught did its job.
"Harry!" a familiar voice cried out. The redhead had just enough time to turn around before she was tackled by a bushy-haired missile. "You were amazing, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "Scared me half to death when you stopped in midair though! Why did you abandon the plan? Why didn't you use Parseltongue from the start? How did you know it would work?"
Harry laughed nervously. "Honestly Hermione, it didn't even occur to me until then. And it was just a hunch too. I am soooo glad it actually worked!"
Hermione punched her in the shoulder- hard. "You prat!" she screeched. "You mean you tried talking to the dragon on a whim? Of all the stupid, idiotic, hairbrained-"
"Hey, it worked, didn't it? It's only stupid if it fails, otherwise it's genius," Harry interrupted, grinning cheekily and rubbing her bruised arm.
Hermione glared at her best friend, then sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Clearly switching genders did nothing to curb your recklessness," was her verdict. She rolled her eyes at Harry's unrepentant grin.
The sound of someone clearing their throat caused the two girls to turn around. Standing there, fidgeting and looking thoroughly uncomfortable, was Ron Weasley. Harry's cheerful expression morphed into an impassive mask. Hermione's eyes narrowed and she took a step back, knowing this was something the two redheads needed to work out on their own.
Ron clasped his hands behind his back and kicked at the dirt. He stayed silent for a moment, occasionally flicking his gaze to Harry's chest, before finally meeting her eyes. "Harry, mate, I- well, I don't think you put your name in the Goblet of Fire," he told her. He smiled as though he'd gotten past the dragon for her.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "And?" she drawled.
Ron frowned. "And?" he parroted.
"Yes, and!" Harry confirmed. She crossed her arms under her chest, unintentionally drawing Ron's gaze again. "My name came out of the goblet on Halloween, but you haven't said a word since you accused me of entering myself and being a cheating glory-hound!" Ron winced. "Everyone else realized I was innocent over a week ago," Harry continued. "You, my supposed 'best mate', are just realizing this now. Not to mention the fact that you won't stop staring at my breasts! So, with that in mind… and?"
Ron's eyes immediately snapped away from her chest, and a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. "W-Well, er, it's not my fault that they're so bloody huge, Harry!" The redheaded girl scowled darkly, and if looks could kill, Ron would be dead a hundred times over from the force of Hermione's glare. Realizing he misspoke- though he had no idea why! After all, he'd only said the truth- Ron tried again. "I-I mean, I reckon whoever entered you into the tournament is trying to do you in," he said quickly.
Harry scoffed and rolled her eyes, electing to ignore his faux pas. "Brilliant deduction there, Ron. I never would have figured that out all on my own."
"Well, what do you want from me?" Ron screamed, ears flushing darkly.
Harry's lip curled. "Oh, I don't know, an apology maybe?" she suggested, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ron blinked. "Oh, er, right," he said awkwardly. He fidgeted a bit more before glancing back to her chest then settling his gaze at her feet. "Er, I'm sorry?" Hermione couldn't help the snort that escaped her lips. Harry gave him a look that made him feel two inches tall, despite him being a full head taller than her now. He gulped, then kicked at the ground again.
"You don't even have the guts, or the decency, to look me in the eyes when you apologize, do you?" she sneered. Ron continued to count the number of grains in the dirt. "Well, at least you aren't staring at my chest anymore." The boy's gaze flicked upwards at the reminder before quickly returning to the dirt. Harry sighed deeply. "This is the best I'm going to get with you, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically. Glancing at Hermione, the older witch shrugged her shoulders. Turning back to Ron, Harry closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine," she decided, and Ron perked up, smiling hopefully. "I'll accept your apology, but there are three things you need to bear in mind." Ron nodded like a puppy, and listened eagerly.
Harry held up three fingers. "One, you are not my best friend anymore. That honorable distinction goes to Hermione; she was there for me when I needed her most- you weren't." Ron's face darkened for a moment before his expression turned sad, and he nodded in acceptance.
"Two, I'm not wasting all my free time with you anymore. I will be studying a lot more now. Partly because I had to promise Professor McGonagall I'd do better in school to get her to sign off on my prank, but mostly because I want to."
"Bloody hell," Ron muttered under his breath, shaking his head slightly. "Only a month and she's already turned you into another bloody bookworm."
Harry pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've always liked learning, Ronald," she said tersely. "But Vernon would punish me every time I did better than his precious Duddikins in primary school. I quickly learned to just not try. It was only recently I realized I was free to do as I pleased." Hermione smiled sadly for her friend and wiped away the gathering moisture in her eyes. Ron merely frowned, confused. "Hermione and I will be spending much more time in the library. You don't have to join us, but that won't be changing. Understand?" Ron's eyes flashed angrily for a moment, but the look was gone as soon as it came and he nodded again.
"Lastly, I'm sure you've noticed by now that I'm no longer sleeping in the boys' dorm. Professor McGonagall provided me with alternative accommodations, as is my right as a champion. I might invite you over from time to time, but I am not giving you the password to my new suite."
Ron bristled. "What? Why?!"
Harry gave him a cold look and put a hand on her hip. "Let me ask you something: If you walked in on Ginny changing, what would she would do to you?" Ron paled rapidly. He opened his mouth to answer, but Harry cut him off. "I'd be worse," she promised, and Ron flinched at the fire in her eyes. "Make sense now?" she asked. Ron gulped then nodded a third time.
Instantly, Harry's fierce expression morphed into a bright smile and she clapped her hands behind her back. "Great! Glad to have you back then, Ron. I'll see you later!" She gave the boy a quick hug and a condescending pat on the head then turned to Hermione in what was unmistakably a dismissal. Ron stumbled away from the tent in a daze, desperately trying to process what the bloody hell had just happened.
"You know, you're taking to being a girl really well," Hermione commented. Harry tilted her head to the side, and Hermione smirked. "You've already got a handle on the spontaneous mood swings," she elaborated.
To her surprise, Harry laughed. "It was mostly an act. I just wanted to mess with Ron; make him squirm a bit for being such a prat," she admitted.
"Mostly?" Hermione asked, sounding highly amused.
Harry twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "Well, it was fun too," she defended. Hermione blinked then started to laugh. Harry grinned. "Shall we go see my scores?" Hermione nodded and the two girls left the tent smiling.
Harry was delighted to receive full marks from four of the judges. She had recovered her egg the fastest, and without any injury to herself, the dragon, or the real eggs, after all. She pouted though, when Karkaroff only gave her a six for 'not using any magic'. She'd used the Summoning Charm- that totally counted! And Parseltongue was a magical language! Regardless, she was still comfortably in first place so she didn't let Karkaroff's blatant cheating bother her much. After the scores were given, Ludo Bagman told the champions that the Second Task would be on February 24th, and that their golden eggs were the only clues they'd be getting for what it was. The four champions agreed to have their little pow wow at dinner the following night, then headed their separate ways.
Rita Skeeter caught Harry as she and Hermione made their way up to the castle. Harry- remembering fondly the spectacular article the woman had written after the Weighing of the Wands ceremony, in which she'd eviscerated the Ministry's reputation and made them look like fools for forcing her into the tournament- happily gave the reporter a few quick statements on how she felt going into, during, and after the task, before continuing to the Gryffindor Common Room to celebrate.
During the party, the Gryffindors convinced Harry to open her egg, but quickly discovered what a horrible idea that was when the egg immediately started wailing like a banshee. Harry elected to leave solving the clue for after the holidays, and went back to enjoying the party- and the fact that she was still alive. Hermione seemed a tad exasperated, but couldn't fault the redhead for her decision, so adopted the philosophy of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' and indulged in the revelry with her.
And that's a wrap! I'll see you all next week with chapter 5. In the meantime, please leave a review and let me know what you think; I love hearing from you guys. Ttfn!
Edited: 5/13/19