Chapter 9: The First Task

The day of the first task saw everyone rising early. Whether it was nerves or excitement no one could tell. The Great Hall was silent except for the sporadic squeak from "Potter Stinks" badges the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were wearing. Severus walked in and took a seat at the head table without looking where he sat or next to whom. He looked up and stared directly into a pair of gorgeous green eyes.

"Rose."

"Severus," she answered quietly.

Severus noticed that she had bags under her eyes and that she was only drinking coffee.

"You're already done eating?"

"Not hungry."

He stopped asking her questions for he realised it would be a futile exercise. She was in no mood. He could tell she was worried about what her nephew would be facing today.

"Champions please follow your headmasters through the doors at the back please!" Barty Crouch announced solemnly.

Rose stood and followed Madame Maxime, Dumbledore and Karkaroff through the back entrance of the hall. Severus offered up a prayer to the gods and Merlin for the champions. Though he could not stand Potter, he certainly did not wish him dead, nor did he want to deal with the repercussions should he be injured. Rose was powerful enough, he did not think he could hold her back if she was angry and hurt. He had been on the receiving end of her powers once and that was more than enough.

Severus hurried, ate and headed off to the Quidditch Pitch with the crowds. He normally would not be part of all these activities but this was not a common occurrence and, well, dragons were always worthy of his undivided attention.

The teachers box was filling up quickly. He sat in his usual seat and noticed that the seats to the left of him were reserved.

"I wonder if those are for the Ministry and the headmasters?" He asked himself.

He didn't have time to wonder too long. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the officials, headmasters and Rose come out of the tent behind the teachers' box. They filed in and that is when he saw Rose's face. She was pale and worry lined every inch of her face. Her eyes were frightened and pained. She sat next to him and stared into the pitch.

"Rose, what is it?"

"They're female dragons protecting a golden egg. The champions have to retrieve it. Each has a different dragon picked at random. Harry has to fight a Hungarian Horntail." She whispered.

Severus' face paled and he was stunned. The Hungarian Horntail was the most dangerous dragon in Romania. Who in their right mind would put such an animal where children were trying to compete? Severus took Rose's hand in his and held tight. As the first contestant began to battle their dragon, Rose turned to him.

"Severus, you teach him, will he survive?"

He didn't know what to say. Potter acted impulsively and did not take the time to think most of the time. Severus wasn't sure if he would be able to keep a clear head in order to survive the task. he had fought the Dark Lord in his first and second year and he did fight off one hundred Dementors last year. Would he be able to fight off a dragon as well? He didn't know what to think.

"I hope so Rose." He answered as honestly as he could.

Harry stepped out into the pitch. Rose gasped and held her breath. Her hand tightened on Severus' and he took the time to look her over. Her hair was now waist length and a deep shade of auburn. Her skin was milky white and looked so smooth. Though she was thin, she still was very curvy. Her robes emphasized every curve of her body and Severus could not help but react to the beauty that radiated from her.

He had thought of her often in the years that followed her "death" but she had slowly faded into the deep recesses of his mind as his love for Lily and resentment for Potter grew. To see Rose again, alive threw him for a complete loop. He wasn't sure what to think. He had quickly realised that she had changed quite a bit but this change was for the better. He recalled her being an overly shy and sensitive girl. She had always been easily wounded and could often be found on the verge of tears because of something someone had said. She was no longer that girl. She was strong and fighter. He wondered how this changed had been prompted. She had always been kind to him, even after he and Lily stopped being friends she had always been by his side and could be found talking to him whenever she had a spare moment. For the duration of his time at Hogwarts she had been his only true friend. Her faked death had been a bomb he had never quite gotten over. He still had all the pictures they had taken as children and he still often took them out to look at the only people he had ever really cared for.

"HARRY!" Rose yelled pulling him out of his reverie.

Potter was hidden behind a large boulder and the dragon was blowing its fiery breath towards the boulder. The heat of it all could be felt in the teachers box. Rose's hand gripped his so tightly he was beginning to lose all sensation in his fingertips. The dragon let up and Potter could be seen pointing his wand to the skies and screaming some incantation. he then ducked again and peered from around the boulder. The dragon was on the move.

Their eyes were riveted on the scene below. Rose shook in fear and anxiety. Severus could not decide whether to be worried at the potential death of a student or Rose having some form of nervous breakdown.

Suddenly, a gasp was heard through the audience, Harry had Accioed his Firebolt and it was coming to his rescue.

"Brilliant," muttered Severus under his breath.

Harry jumped on his broom and the crowd cheered. He climbed high up and stopped. Rose's grip tightened on Severus' hand and he cringed in pain.

"Rose, you don't have to break my hand," he whispered painfully in her ear.

"Oops, sorry Severus," she blushed, her eyes still on Harry.

The dragon blew fire at harry but he dodged it, unfortunately its tail hit him square in the shoulder. Rose screamed and her nails dug into his hand.

The boy didn't let up, he teased the female into flying up and leaving the eggs unprotected and then swooped in and grabbed the egg.

The crowd roared at his victory. His time was announced and he had the fastest. Rose jumped up and was shouting as loudly as the children. Severus couldn't help smiling at her excitement. She wheeled around, looked up at him and threw her arms around his waist, hugging him 'til he couldn't breathe. He put his arms around her shoulders and felt a strange warmth ignite in his lower abdomen and flame its way up to his face. His heartbeat quickened. Rose looked up at him joyfully.

"He did it, Severus. He did it!" She let go and ran to her nephew, leaving Severus feeling empty and confused.