I calmly flipped the half dollar coin as I saw in the chair with my leg crossed over my knee. My mind, however, was running faster than I could. Which was fast.
"Dragons," Harry said in the seat across from me. "Bloody. Fucking. Dragons."
"At least it's something I can actually manage. Though the process of actually doing so might be harder than I think. These are nesting mothers after all. It'll be hard to get past them without getting swatted," I told him.
"That's right. You can't use anything during the tournament, can you?" Harry said, making me shake my head. "Damn. And I know with some of the weapons you have, you'd be able to kill it if given enough time."
"Yeah, well... let's not focus on that. How do you reckon I should go about this?" Harry asked.
"Playing to your strengths is a key thing to any task. Me? I made sure that every skill I had was a strength as the Vigilante. Stealth. Combat skills. Marksmanship. Brains. Brawn. Brutality. Etc," I told him. "Even though at one point, brutality was not part of my resume."
"Well, unfortunately, I'm not you, so I have a smaller list to work with. Let's see... I'm adept at curses, charms, and Quidditch. That's kind of it. I'm average at pretty much everything else," Harry said.
"Quidditch is the thing you're the most good at. You reckon a Summoning Charm for your Firebolt oughta do it?" I questioned.
"What, from all the way on the field?" Harry questioned.
"Yeah. You've got the strength for it. I have no doubt about that. No curse you can use will be powerful enough to affect a dragon. Unless it's aimed right at the eyes. That's pretty much the only thing that's weak magically," I told him.
"Flying it is then. I could also hit it with like a Conjunctivitis Curse or something while in the air to stun it, then take the opportunity to get past it," Harry said, making me smile.
"Sounds like you've already got a plan. I can help you make sure your Summoning Charm is up to snuff for the tournament. We can practice on separate edges of the castle and keep in touch with the earpieces. As for the Conjunctivitis Curse, you think you can handle that?" I asked.
"I did say curses were a strong point. Hell, I may be even able to pull off some of those Dark ones I read about," Harry said.
"Probably a good idea to pass on that one. I don't think the judges'll take kindly to that," I said.
"You're probably right. Conjunctivitis it is then," Harry said, rubbing his eyes. "What about you? How are you going to get past your dragon?"
"Hell if I know. Evade like a fool and hope for the best?" I questioned.
"There's got to be some way you can deal with it," Harry asked.
"It's more than likely the dragon'll be restrained by a chain with an Unbreakable Charm so they can't just roam free, so there goes any hopes of trying to go in for a short, but brutal taming session. I could try and climb on top of it and go for the eyes. Don't know how long I'll be able to stay up there before it tries to swat me off. And unlike most things I try to hurt, that is going to take a little time," I explained, my fingers under my chin in thought. "Ugh. It sucks not having any tools to work with. If I could just have my goblin sword, I could just slay it. If I can hold off a basilisk, I can handle a dragon."
"Let's sleep on it. Might make it easier," Harry suggested, rubbing his eyes. I nodded and got to my feet before we both went up the staircase.
I was lying on my jet, looking up at the sky while my hands idly turned a coin over between the fingers. The radio was playing Five Finger Death Punch, which seemed like the most appropriate band as of now.
Thinking about getting past a dragon with having access to nothing was rather stressing. Evasive tactics would only get me so far. I had no weapons. No cloaking. No concealment tools. Not even a damn smoke bomb. It felt like forever since I worked without tech. And it was against a dragon. But unlike previous situations, I needed at least something. Anything.
"Guess I'm going to have to wing it," I said aloud as I gripped the coin in my hand. "God, this bites."
I then continued to mull over the possibilities. I had no idea what the terrain was looking like, so I had no way to work out a strategy using the environment. I would just have to figure it out as I went along.
"Zat zing is still astonishing," Fleur said, walking near my jet. I smiled before summoning my phone and pressing a button.
"Go ahead and hop aboard. I cut the countermeasures off," I told her, patting the considerable space that was next to me. She eyed it apprehensive before placing a tentative finger on the jet. Once it didn't electrocute her, she climbed aboard.
You can be me and I will be you
You can live just like a star
I'll take my sanity
You take the fame
"I'm under and over it now," I sang, a rare smile coming to my face. "Under and over it!"
"Eenteresting choice of music," Fleur said, looking at the jet. With the press of a button, I cut it off.
"Guessing it's not your cup of tea?" I asked.
"You could say zat," Fleur said.
"Try this then," I said, opting for a different selection.
Drawn into you
Magnetic
You're magnetic
"Better?" I asked.
"Better," Fleur said while smiling. "But if you wish to play what you were playing..."
"Nah, it's fine. I need something to take my mind off things," I said.
"Ze first task?" Fleur questioned, making me nod. "I've been thinking about it quite a bit." I looked at her. There was no point in beating around the bush.
"I know you know what the first task is. You're not the only one who knows. So does Krum, Harry, Cedric, and me," I told her, making her look at me in an astonished fashion.
"'Ow-"
"You're not the only one who has people telling you things," I said evenly. She didn't respond to that.
"'Ow are you taking it?" Fleur questioned.
"Honestly?" I questioned, making Fleur nod. "I have no motherfucking clue how I'm going to get past that thing. I have no tools; no trump cards to play. If I were allowed to use my weapons, things would be a lot different. I'd wager I'd even be able to slay that thing if that were the case, but I don't."
"Zat's beyond worrying. And your ward?" Fleur asked.
"Call him Harry. And he's already got a plan worked out. His ability to have a wand allows him that. I have to go out there and wing it. Get past a dragon. Using nothing," I said with a humorless chuckle. "You know, whoever's playing this joke of fate on me, it's not funny. Not at all."
"Zat is very worrying," Fleur said.
"That doesn't begin to describe what this is," I said, sitting up and jumping off the jet. I then summoned those two pistols I showed her and Aurore. "Watch this."
Barely taking my fingers off the trigger to adjust my aim slightly, I began to fire bullet holes in a tree. Until they spelled a distinct message: 'Fate sucks.'
"That's my marksmanship and trigger finger," I said before noticing she was rubbing her ears. "Oh, sorry. Not everyone is quite used to the sound of guns firing."
"Eet's fine. But zat's fairly accurate," Fleur said.
"Not bad with a sword either. Now, this would all be very useful if I was allowed weapons. But I just can't ignore the fact that I can't. It's immensely annoying," I said, swapping the clips before making the guns disappear. "What about you? Got a plan?"
"Oui. Eet should work. As for ze remaining 'oo champions, I do not know," Fleur said.
"Well, well. I was wondering where you went. And I see you have my tutor with you," Aurore said, walking up to the jet. I chuckled.
"And who said I was going to teach you anything?" I questioned.
"Do I have to dress in a naughty student's outfit to make you pay attention?" Aurore questioned.
"I must admit. That would work," I said before smirking. "No promises that you would actually learn anything though."
"Are you normally like zis?" Fleur asked.
"No. It's kinda fun though. Never actually played this kinda game with anyone before," I said.
"Zat surprises me. Given 'ow you are a 'very eligible bachelor,'" Fleur said with a smirk. Aurore laughed while I groaned.
"Ah, there's the Fleur I like!" Aurore said.
"I'm being harassed by life sized Barbie dolls," I said flatly. Given the blank looks they gave me, they had no idea what they were. "It's an American thing."
"Ah, so zat is where you are from," Fleur said.
"With the lack of the accent, we obviously knew you weren't English," Aurore said.
"I would certainly hope so. Otherwise, you'd shoot your whole 'smarter than you look' thing out of the sky," I said, making both of them glare at me. I only grinned as Aurore looked at the source of the music.
"Lemme guess. This was more of Fleur's suggestion," Aurore said.
"How'd you guess?" I asked dryly.
"I take you more as the punk rock, heavy metal type," Aurore said.
"You sure you haven't been stalking me?" I questioned with a raised brow. Aurore only gave me a sly grin. "Oh, boy."
"Nah. It just looks so... you. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them turned of them describes you perfectly," Aurore said.
"There is one," I said simply.
"Oh?" Aurore questioned. I then selected a song, immediately paused it, dragged the bar a set distance before hitting play.
I'm the dark messiah...
I'm the vengeful one!
"That says it all," Aurore said, shaking her head with her hand gestured out towards me. I then shut the music off with a smirk. "So you take no prisoners, huh?"
"Nope," I said. I wasn't quite sure they exactly knew the extent of which I took that. Not sure they would still be friends with me if they did. That's for another day.
"I talked to the nurse. You seem to make a habit out of sending one particular student to the hospital wing," Aurore said, causing Fleur to snap her head to me.
"Considering he's a bigoted asshole, thinks that anyone who isn't pureblood is beneath him, has an ego the size of a fucking space station, seems to think that his father's riches gives him the right to do whatever he wants, and calls people Mudblood with reckless abandon, I think I'm given the right to prove him wrong on multiple accounts," I explained to them, making Fleur's and Aurore's lips curl in displeasure.
"The last one is what really does it," Aurore said, disgust in her tone. "And he gets away with this?"
"Do I look like I let him get away with it?" I said, giving her a simple look.
"Not what I mean. The officials, the teachers?" Aurore asked.
"It's like the dickhead has a radar for teachers. But recently, he's been keeping the word to a bare minimum. Hopefully, what I did to him will make him shut up about it for the rest of the year," I said.
"What did you do?" Fleur asked.
"Knocked almost all of his teeth out of his mouth and broke a rib. I was much, much more tempted to hurt him more than that," I said darkly.
"Call me next time. I know a few jinxes that can have some rather... nasty effects when combined," Aurore said, making me grin.
"Excellent," I said.
"I am friends with sadists," Fleur said flatly.
"Oh, you know you love us!" Aurore said with a million dollar grin. Well, million dollars to everyone except Fleur.
"Debatable," Fleur said in a haughty tone. Aurore looked at me while jerking a thumb at Fleur.
"Her sanity never goes MIA. I told her it's not necessarily the best thing in the world," Aurore said.
"Speaking of things going MIA, how is your English so good?" I questioned with a curious tone. "Wasn't this good when I first met you. I actually wanted to ask when I first saw you again, to be honest." I was surprised to see that Aurore actually went slightly red while Fleur smirked.
"You want to tell him, or shall I?" Fleur asked. But she wasn't waiting for an answer. "She practiced 'er Eenglish for you. She saw you as a potential suitor."
My eyebrows raised into my hair at this bit of news and I looked over at Aurore, who was glaring at Fleur.
"Did I pass?" I questioned dryly.
"Yes. With flying colors," Aurore said before kicking Fleur in the shin. That didn't stop her from laughing.
"Really, Aurore. I'm flattered," I said, leaning up with a small bow.
"You should be. Wasn't the easiest thing to rid myself of the accent while speaking in English. I told Fleur she should do it to, but she told me she wasn't here to impress anyone," Aurore said.
"That sounds about right," I said with a nod. "But still. Terribly sweet of you."
"In case you don't work, I can work over a decent Englishman or two because of this skill. So it isn't all for you," Aurore said haughtily, making me laugh.
"And you're back. Excellent," I said with a grin.
"You expected me to act like a love sick puppy for you? You are very good looking, but not that good looking," Aurore said.
"If I'm not, no one is," I said with a haughty tone. Then I shook my head. "Goddammit. I'm turning into you two."
"And zat's a bad zing?" Fleur questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," I said evenly. I got two swats on the back of my head for that answer.