Chapter 4: The First Task
The next week passed at a surprising pace, and suddenly it was time for the First Task. Harry had found out from Snape, of all people, during his detention that night that he was to face a dragon. Not just any dragon but a mother dragon. And to add to that apparently they'd rigged it so that he'd end up getting the most ferocious and dangerous of all dragons, the Hungarian Horntail. Professor Moody had suggested to Harry that he out fly the thing, but through his research, Harry had found that that is the most likely way to irritate a Horntail. It was also the most deadly approach to the situation.
Harry had two plans that he was going over on his way to the champions' tent. Initially he was going to try and talk to it in Parceltongue and if that didn't work he was going to attack it like they did with the troll in first year. 'And if neither of those work I'll summon whatever it is I need to get, as they won't be getting us to kill it, and hope for the best,' he decided, walking into the tent.
The atmosphere was very tense inside the tent. Fleur and Madam Maxime were talking in furious French. Victor Krum was looking surlier than usual and Cedric was pacing up and down. Harry supposed the other three knew what awaited them and so thought nothing of their nerves, because for all he knew they could've been faking it for each other.
"Ah and Potter's decided to show his face. Come we don't have all day," Bagman said angrily, looking around at him.
(Pg 305, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again.
"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk, and shook it at them - "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to facce! There are different - er - varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too... ah yes... your task is to collect the golden egg!"
Harry glanced around. Cedric had nodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing again, although this time furiously. Harry hadn't realised he didn't know. He thought that Hagrid or Moody or one of the other teachers would have told him, if he'd been told. 'Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk,' Harry thought to himself. 'If he wanted or needed my help he would've called off at least his Hufflepuff attack dogs.' Fleur and Krum showed no reaction to the previous statement, 'Their Professors must have told them,' Harry decided. All Harry could think was: 'But at least they volunteered for this.'
(Pg 306, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire)
And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking... Harry felt separate from the crowd, as if they were a different species.
Finally Bagman called them over and presented the French Veela the sack with a "ladies first." The Beauxbatons champion pulled out a Welsh Green with a number two around its neck. Harry knew this to be a pretty easy dragon to sneak past, as their eyesight, hearing, smell, and sense of touch were all pretty poor. The only way to stuff this dragon up was to walk right past its head. Harry suspected that they didn't think Fleur to be a strong competitor and, if they were rigging it to give him a hard dragon, rigged it to give her the easiest.
Krum was the next person in the line. He put his hand into the bag and pulled out a Chinese Fireball with a number three around its neck. These dragons weren't vicious or easily aggravated, and the only thing you had to worry about was the ease and length that they could spit fire. And the fact that the fire came in balls - not a continued stream, which is harder to dodge as it is much easier for the dragon to surround you with fire or just put out a spray. However a well-placed Conjunctivitis Curse, for the most part can take out the dragon. Harry supposed that was what Krum had decided to do, as he seemed unfazed by the dragon.
Next was Cedric. The Hufflepuff champion looked as green as Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill. Cedric put his shaking hand into the bag and quickly pulled out with a Swedish Short-Snout attached to his finger. The dragon with the number one on it had bitten his index finger and didn't appear to be letting go. Cedric however, seemed pleased with this turn of events because the bluish-grey dragons were notoriously well known to be easily distracted and all it would take to get past it was some well done conjurations and a Disillusionment Charm or a Notice-Me-Not Charm. Harry realised that they really didn't want him to win this. He just hoped his ideas were enough.
"Potter you're next," Bagman nearly shouted in his ear. Harry stuck his hand into the gaudy purple sack and pulled out the only dragon left. "Ooh the Hungarian Horntail, the most terrifying thing you'll ever see in your life," Bagman sneered. The Horntail was preening itself and had a tiny number four around its neck. 'Well at least I'm not Diggory who didn't know about the dragons until five minutes ago and he has to go out first,' Harry thought optimistically.
(The three other champions perform a bit better but end up with the same number of points).
Finally, it was Harry's turn. He walked out into the arena, his head held high.
"Hey dragon, do you speak Parseltongue? If you do roar or nod your head," he tried. The dragon didn't make any sort of movement and Harry decided that Plan B was the best option.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he yelled pointing at a largish rock near the dragon. He levitated the rock to some height above the dragon and let it drop. It hit the dragon, knocking it out, because he didn't think it would be appreciated if he killed it. He ran over to the eggs and got the Golden Egg from the top of the nest. Then he levitated the rock away from the dragon and left the arena.
"Oh my," he could hear Bagman gasping, "Harry Potter, the youngest champion has defeated his dragon the fastest and with the most ease. I wonder what the judges will say to his methods." Harry wondered that as well, walking over to the judges.
Madame Maxime was the first judge to award points, she waved her wand and a long silvery ribbon-like thing shot out of it and twisted itself into a large nine.
"I gave him an extra point for creativity and simplicity," she announced. Mr Crouch too, gave Harry a nine. Dumbledore did as well. Bagman for some unknown reason gave Harry a ten. But the most surprising of all was Karkaroff. He raised his wand and out came a six.
"I too enjoyed the simplicity and immaturity of Hogwarts unprecedented champion. It was a breath of fresh air," he reasoned.
Harry couldn't care less what his reasoning was, 'I'm in the lead,' he though, 'Ha take that Ron and Hermione, I can be good at things;' just as he was thinking that Ron and Hermione walked over.
"Oh Harry I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said you didn't put your name into the Goblet. Why would've you done that? I'm sorry," Hermione cried.
"Yea mate, I'm, uh, sorry that I didn't believe you either. I shoulda known that you wouldn't do that," Ron tried apologising.
Harry was having none of that.
"No guys. You made your beliefs very clear. You aren't apparently good friends, if you can't be with me in the good and bad times. You continually put me down and even made it dangerous for me to be in the dorm. I don't think I'll be accepting your apologies. Maybe next time you should think about how you treat your so-called friends."
With that Harry walked back up to the castle with his egg. On the way through the door Neville Longbottom and a blonde-haired girl with a dazed expression stopped him.
"Harry," Neville started, "I've been trying to find a private place to talk you since Halloween but it's been hard. I think the others knew that I wanted to speak with you and that's why they wouldn't let me out of their sight. I wanted to say I've supported you the whole time, although I'm not the loudest voice in Gryffindor, I was trying to keep you safe while you were in the dorm. Luna also believes you," the slightly chubby boy said.
"Wow Neville, I hadn't realised that you supported me. I thought that everyone hated me. Thanks this means so much, you too Luna. I understand that you couldn't really stand out against the other Gryffindors Neville; they would rip you to pieces. It's nice to know I have some friends in the castle, not just fair-weather ones."
"It's ok Harry Potter. We saw how hard it was for you. And we thought about me finding you but then realised that you don't know who I am and we didn't think you'd appreciate it very much," Luna assured Harry dreamily.
"Well I've gotta go study for some things now, are you guys staying for Christmas?" Harry asked. Neville was but Luna said that she was only staying if someone invited her to the ball. Neville then replied that he thought he was taking her, to which she laughed and said, "Oh Neville, you're supposed to ask me, silly. I can't go if you don't ask." Harry bid his farewell to the pair and went on his way back to his dorm to study.
A/N: Hi all, thank you very much for the support! I was so surprised that you liked my fan fiction so much. I really love reading your reviews; it makes my day!
Please review some more. I've slowed down posting this because I have slowed in writing it, however I am going on a long weekend to a place with no wifi so I will write more and have more to post once I get back (this is in like 1 week so expect an upload in the very near future).
Until next time,
Saelu
