Disclaimer: I don't own -Man or Harry Potter.

Chapter 11 – Preparation (Harry and Krum)

The next morning, Harry's mind was in a whirl. How was he supposed to deal with the dragon? He walked down to breakfast in a daze; he'd rather have gone straight outside for some fresh air, but he had to meet up with Kanda first and after last night Harry didn't want to annoy him. His guard was no louder than usual when he sat next to him, Hermione on his other side, and he grabbed food before gesturing to his companions that he wanted to eat elsewhere. Kanda seemed to have already eaten, and Hermione quickly loaded her own napkin with food before Harry led the way outside.

"So what happened last night?" Hermione asked quietly once they were away from everyone else.

"Dragons," Harry said quietly. "And Sirius said that Karkaroff's a Death Eater-"

"Moyashi's watching him," Kanda growled, unusually entering the conversation.

"Kanda's right," Hermione said. "We can worry about that later. What was that about dragons?"

"That's what Hagrid showed me," Harry said. "It's the First Task. I've got to get past a dragon, or something like that. Sirius said a simple spell is all I need…" He didn't need to read minds to know what Hermione's response would be.

"Then let's go to the library," she said. "If there's any information, it'll be there." Any other time, Harry would have groaned at the idea of spending so much time in the library, but he didn't really want to experience death by dragon so the library it was. They finished their food quickly before heading into the large room. Harry noticed that Kanda wasn't a fan of the library, aside from the silence. He also offered no help in locating books, so Harry and Hermione pulled down every dragon-related book they would find before sitting to read it. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Kanda sit in a meditative pose, as he tended to do when they were there.

"Talon-clipping by charms… treating scale rot…" Harry sighed. "This is no good. This is for nutters like Hagrid that want to look after the things."

"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate…" Hermione murmured. "But Sirius said a simple spell would do…"

"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," Harry said, throwing aside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much and heading off to the respective shelves. Kanda silently stood and followed him, but again refused to help him carry any books.

They returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down and began to flick through each one in turn with Hermione whispering non-stop beside him.

"Well there are Switching Spells, but what's the point in Switching it? Unless you swapped it's fangs for wine gums or something, that would make it less dangerous… the trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide… I'd say transfigure it, but something that big you haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall… unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing practise O. W. L. papers…"

"Hermione," Harry said through gritted teeth, "will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate." She did so, but then his head was filled with a buzzing sound which refused to let him concentrate as he attempted to read the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed.

"Oh, no, he's back again. Why can't he read on his stupid ship?" Hermione muttered angrily as Krum slouched in, followed by Allen, who smiled at them before glaring at Kanda, who glared right back. Krum glanced over at them before settling down with his own pile of books. Were they on dragons? Harry couldn't tell. "Come on, Harry, we'll go back to the common room… his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away…" Harry began to move but paused as he saw the two Rosecross Academy students share an understanding look before Kanda turned to follow them.

"Try not to overload your brain, Moyashi," Kanda said as they passed each other.

"It's Allen, BaKanda!" the white haired boy retorted after his retreating back. Harry would never understand those two. Kanda had made it sound last night in the conversation with Sirius that he trusted Allen to do his job, and do it well, but when they were together Harry had never seen them have a civil conversation. Well, not one without an underlying tone of tension, anyway. And that look… He had no idea what it meant, but an understanding had passed between them; that much was obvious. He heard Hermione mutter somewhat angrily and noticed a gang of girls walking past them into the library. One of them had a Bulgarian scarf around her waist, leaving no confusion as to why they were there.

That night sleep eluded Harry as he tossed and turned, a black dragon rearing whenever he closed his eyes and the enigma that was Kanda and Allen occupying his mind. By morning, he'd manage to freak himself out enough to consider running away from Hogwarts. The thought haunted him until he entered the Great Hall and realised how much he would miss, never mind the fact that Kanda would never let him. The idea that he'd rather face a dragon than live with the Dursleys was surprisingly calming and he ate his breakfast in preparation for Herbology.

Leaving the Great Hall, he spotted Cedric and remembered that he didn't know about the dragons – was the only one, if he was right and Madame Maxime and Karkaroff had informed their respective students about the dragons.

"Hermione, I'll see you in Herbology," he said, reaching a decision. "Go on, I'll catch up." Kanda eyed him curiously.

"But you'll be late!" she protested.

"I'll catch you up, okay?"

By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, Cedric was at the top, accompanied by Lavi and surrounded by a group of other sixth-years. Harry didn't want to talk around them – they had made their opinion of him very clear, and it wasn't a good one. He drew his wand and aimed it at Cedric's bag.

"Diffindo!"

Cedric's bag split, spilling ink, parchment and books onto the floor.

"Don't bother," Cedric said in an exasperated voice as his friends knelt to help him clean up. "Go on and tell Flitwick I'll be there in a moment." To Harry's relief, they obeyed. Lavi remained behind, giving Harry an appraising look. He knew. Everyone else had left the corridor, so Harry approached Cedric, slipping his wand inside his robe.

"Hi," Cedric said, picking up an ink-splattered A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration. "My bag just split… brand new and all…"

"Cedric," Harry interrupted. "The first task is dragons."

"What?" the Hufflepuff asked, looking up at him. Harry noticed that he also had the attention of their guards.

"Dragons," he repeated, glancing up the corridor to check Flitwick wasn't coming to look for Cedric. "They've got four – one for each of us – and we've got to get past them."

Cedric stared at him, panic briefly flaring in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Dead sure," Harry said. "I've seen them."

"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know…"

"Never mind," Harry said quickly. Hagrid would get in trouble if word got out that he'd shown them to him. "But I'm not the only one that knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now – Maxime and Karkaroff saw them, too."

Cedric straightened, his arms full of inky books and his torn bag over his shoulder, giving Harry an almost suspicious look.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

Harry looked at him in disbelief. He was sure that if their roles had been reversed, Cedric would have done exactly the same thing after seeing those beasts.

"It's fair now, isn't it?" he replied. "We all know. I couldn't let you be the only one that didn't."

Cedric was still looking at him slightly suspiciously when Moody clunked up behind him.

"Come with me, Potter," he growled. "Diggory, off you go."

Harry stared apprehensively at the teacher. Had he heard them? "Err, Professor, I'm supposed to be in Herbology-"

"Never mind that, Potter. In my office, please."

Harry followed him, noticing that Kanda's hand had been itching towards Mugen ever since the Defence teacher had appeared, and wondering what Moody wanted. Would he turn him into a ferret like he had Malfoy? Would he report Hagrid to the head teachers?

He and Kanda followed Moody into the office, who shut the door behind them which made Kanda seem almost jumpy, if the stoic samurai could ever be described as such. His normal eye fixed on Harry, while his magical eye seemed more interested in Kanda, who was glaring back. Kanda had never made a secret about disliking Moody, but in his office like this seemed to agitate him even more than usual.

"That was a very decent thing you did there, Potter," Moody said quietly, shocking Harry. That hadn't been what he had expected. "Sit down." Harry sat in the proffered chair while Kanda remained standing, ignoring the offer. "When a teacher tells you to do something, it's advisable to do so," Moody said in a low voice to the Japanese. Kanda stubbornly remained standing.

"I prefer to stand," he said bluntly. Indeed, Harry had rarely seen the samurai sit unless in the library or Great Hall. He even stood during classes.

Moody shrugged and turned away from him to focus his attention on Harry, although Harry noticed that his magical eye was still keeping an eye on Kanda, who was walking around the room.

"So, found out about the dragons, have you?" Moody said to Harry, who hesitated. He didn't want to sell Hagrid out… "It's alright. Cheating's a traditional part of the tournament. Always has been."

"I didn't cheat," Harry said sharply. "It was… sort of an accident that I found out."

Moody grinned.

"I wasn't accusing you, laddie. I've been telling Dumbledore right from the start. He can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet Maxime and Karkaroff won't. They'll want to beat Dumbledore – prove he's only human." He laughed, his magical eye fixed firmly out the back of his skull, where it was still watching Kanda. Suddenly, his face turned dark. "Get away from that, boy." He turned around so that both his eyes were focused on Kanda, who was stood by an interesting trunk with seven keyholes. "That's none of your business."

"Tch," Kanda said – it sounded almost disbelieving – as he obeyed, although Harry noticed that he always kept the trunk in view after that.

"So…" Moody began, facing Harry once again but with his eye still watching Kanda. "What are you going to do about your dragon?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted.

"Well I'm not going to tell you," Moody said. "I'm not going to play favourites. But I will give you two bits of general advice. First, you need to be play to your strengths-"

"But I don't have any," Harry said without thinking.

"You've got strengths if I say you do," Moody growled. "What are you best at?"

"Quidditch," Harry said instantly. "Not that that'll help-"

""That's right," Moody overrode him. "You're a damn good flier, from what I hear."

"Yeah, but…" Harry began. "I don't have a broom."

"My second piece of general advice is to be able to get what you need," Moody continued as if he hadn't spoken. Kanda's eyes narrowed while Harry looked at him blankly, trying to work it out.

"Put it together, boy. It's not that hard," Moody muttered under his breath, causing Kanda's hand to stray in the direction of Mugen's hilt. Then it clicked. He needed to pass the dragon in the air, for which he needed his Firebolt. And for that, he needed…

Moody sent them on their way, passing Harry a note to hand to Professor Sprout.

"You didn't need to tell him," Kanda said bluntly as they made their way to Greenhouse Three. "Lavi was going to, today. We weren't going to let him go in unprepared if everyone else knew." It was the most Kanda had willingly said without someone else beginning the conversation.

"Hermione," Harry whispered after he'd apologised to Professor Sprout and handed her Moody's note. "I need to know how to do a Summoning Charm by tomorrow."

The rest of the day was spent practising in empty classrooms whenever they had spare time. Hermione refused to skip lessons so Harry was forced to attend Divination where he was told that he was due a violent death, not a good omen for the next day's task.

They practised late into the evening, until curfew when Kanda forced them back to the common room.

"But I haven't mastered it yet!" Harry protested.

"Part of my duties is to make sure you obey curfew," Kanda said threateningly. "Now go." They obeyed and moved their practise to the common room. While he never checked, Harry was sure that Kanda was hovering outside to make sure that they weren't going to leave again. By two in the morning he'd finally managed it and was ready to sleep.

The mood of the next day was energetic as the rest of the school looked forwards to the task, which would take place after lunch. As he was eating, Professor McGonagall approached him with his instructions. She looked uncharacteristically nervous as she escorted him and Kanda to the Champions' tent.

"In you go, Potter," she said quietly. "Mr Bagman will explain the rest of the… procedure."

He entered the tent, followed closely by Kanda, to see that he was the last to arrive.


"Viktor," Karkaroff said when Krum awoke that Sunday morning. "Your first task involves dragons." Krum made no outward reaction but inside the panic set in. Dragons were notoriously difficult to defeat. How was he supposed to deal with one? Gritting his teeth, he nodded and left. He would win this by his own merit, not have his High Master tell him how to do the tasks.

Emerging from the ship, he avoided his High Master as he quickly made his way to the Great Hall and Allen. If there was one person he could trust with the information, it was the guard that had probably already been informed.

The white-haired boy was sat at the Slytherin table when he entered, nibbling on some toast. He offered Krum his usual beam of a smile and a verbal greeting once he'd finished his mouthful. The boy's manners were impeccable and rather old fashioned. He would stand, much like the Beauxbatons students, if a female entered a room with the intent of sitting.

"It's basic manners," he'd explained when questioned. "Don't they teach you anything like that at Durmstrang?"

"You get taught to kill, and manners?" Malfoy had asked incredulously. Allen nodded. "That Kanda doesn't seem to use them."

"BaKanda is an idiot with no respect for anyone," Allen had retorted, ending the conversation.

"I vould like to go to the library," Krum informed him as he began his breakfast. Allen didn't seem surprised. Was it because Krum often spent time in there, or did he suspect that Krum knew? Certainly, he showed no confusion at being once again led to the section on Magical Creatures.

The confrontation with Kanda was something that he was getting used to. There were often not-so-polite remarks exchanged between the two if they passed in the corridors, at odds with Allen's usual behaviour, but from what he'd seen of the Japanese, it was also unusual for him to initiate a conversation, even one with the sole purpose of insulting the other. He'd given up trying to understand the Rosecross students some time ago. Ignoring them, he spared Harry's pretty companion a glance before looking over at the books Harry had been reading. Dragons and spellbooks. Apparently Krum wasn't the only one that knew.

Once the Hogwarts students had left, he turned to Allen.

"I know vhat the first task is," he admitted. "Do you?" Allen nodded.

"We were informed last night," he said.

"I don't suppose you know anything that vill help me get past a dragon?" Krum asked hopefully. Allen shook his head.

"I could do it myself," he said confidently. "But even if I was permitted to help you, you wouldn't be able to use it."

"If I can't use it, then why won't you say?" Krum asked. Allen laughed and gestured to a gloved hand.

"My special ability would let me deal with a dragon," he said, glancing around at the others in the library. "Any of the Rosecross students could deal with one." The way he said it made it sound almost as if he had, in the past.

"Even Kanda and his sword?" Krum asked. "It doesn't seem like a veapon that vould damage a dragon." Allen smiled.

"Mugen isn't your average sword," he said. It was definitely comforting to know that his guard was confident in his ability to take down a dragon. But he was the one that had to face the dragon, not Allen, and so he had to find a method that would work for him. The books Harry had retrieved seemed useless. He suspected that the books in their small library on the ship would be more useful, but boarding the ship would mean potentially meeting Karkaroff. The chances of that were slimmer here.

The spellbooks Harry had selected were all basic. Krum doubted that a basic spell would help him deal with the dragon, but picked one up to flick through nonetheless. The lack of curses in the book surprised him momentarily, until he remembered his school's reputation for the Dark Arts. He put the book back down. Those soft spells would be useless against a dragon. Seeing the librarian approaching the large stack, he and Allen quietly volunteered to help her return them to their places. She treated them with a slight smile – an expression that seemed out of place on her face – as they carefully returned all the books.

"I would have thought better of Miss Granger," she said quietly. "But since she's spent more time here with Mr Potter she seems to forget about returning the books. Other things on her mind, I suppose."

All the books back in place, Krum politely inquired as to the whereabouts of books on curses. She pursed her lips before answering.

"Less dangerous curses can be found over there," she said, indicating. "The nasty ones are kept in the restricted section and I'm afraid you need written permission from a Hogwarts Professor to access a specific book within it." He nodded in understanding before heading off to the less dangerous curses. There were several books dedicated to the subject and he quickly selected a few and began to flick through them.

The day's research did not go well, and by the time Krum was back on the ship for the night he was beginning to panic slightly. Karkaroff was not permitted to help him, and he had no intention of attempting to break that rule.

The next morning arrived and Krum knew that he had to find his answer that day. Unfortunately, he had a lesson first thing, so that would be an hour wasted.

Allen met him at the Great Hall, as per usual, and they headed towards the ship's classroom, Krum sitting at the back – his new seat after Allen's uncomfortable experience during their first lesson.

"The subject of today's lesson is dragons," Karkaroff proclaimed, an image of a dragon on the board. Krum narrowed his eyes slightly. That was no coincidence. Beside him, he noticed Allen mask a similar reaction. "Dragons are feared – and rightly so – as one of the most untameable and dangerous magical creatures. They have high intelligence levels for a beast, most of which goes into its cunning."

Krum didn't want to listen. He didn't want to hear his high master tell him how to defeat the dragon. How was that legal? Glad for his seat at the back of the classroom, he began to read a book from the ships library, concealing it under the desk. Karkaroff would be angry if he noticed, but the book was on dragons and so there was little he could say about it. This book was no more useful than those in Hogwarts' library, he quickly summarised, as it told him more about caring for one than anything else.

"… The hide of a dragon is thick enough to protect it from most spells," Karkaroff said, his voice rising slightly and catching his attention. "Only a very powerful spell, cast by more than one wizard, can penetrate it. That does not mean that they have no weakness. There is one part of their body not covered with the thick hide – their eyes. If one is ever facing a dragon, the eyes are the target you must aim for…"

Krum let his voice fade back out again. Loathe as he was to admit it, it had been a very useful bit of information. All he needed to do was think through his repertoire of spells for one that targeted the eyes. One of those Hogwarts books had contained something like that, but first he needed to finish the lesson. Allen was glowering ever so slightly at Karkaroff. He clearly didn't approve of the blatant cheating that was going on. Part of Krum hoped that he'd report Karkaroff, just to get him off his back about the Tournament, but then suspicion would fall on him and he may be forced to forfeit…

"Viktor," Karkaroff said as he dismissed the class. "Wait behind a moment, please." Allen waited with him as he approached.

"I do not vant to be told exactly how to do this," Krum said firmly before Karkaroff could say anything. "You haff told me more than enough. Allow me to find the answer by myself." Allen shifted slightly and Karkaroff turned to him.

"What do you think, young Walker?" Allen met his gaze evenly.

"Students cannot grow if their answers are always given to them," he said. "If you want Viktor to succeed, let him do so on his own merit." Allen had insisted on calling him by his first name, something that Krum liked. He was Krum to the world, and only those close to him called him anything different.

Karkaroff surveyed the young boy with interest.

"You are wise beyond your years," he said. "Mind that your tongue does not get you in trouble." He turned and swept out of the room.

"Thank you," Krum said. "I did not vant him to tell me vhich curse to use. I vill go to the library and find it for myself." Allen smiled at him.

"Lead the way."

Flicking through the books that he had read yesterday – he was sure there was a curse involving eyes in one of them somewhere – he spied Cedric entering the Library, followed by Lavi. Seeing them, Cedric headed for them and glanced down at the books.

"Harry said that you know the task," he said quietly. Krum nodded.

"I do. But I do not know vhat I am going to do about it, yet." He liked Cedric. The younger boy was clever, but also very polite. Lavi was looking at Allen, a silent conversation seemingly passing between them.

"He also said that Fleur also knows," Cedric continued, looking at their guards. Krum followed suit and the Rosecross students looked up.

"Yes?" Lavi asked innocently. Cedric gave him a look and he sighed. "Yes, yes, I've already told you. All four champions know."

"Why are you telling me this?" Krum asked. Cedric shrugged.

"I was checking if what Harry and Lavi told me was true. I can't find Fleur to ask her, though." Krum shrugged and Cedric turned to leave.

"I like you," Krum said quietly. "You play fair."

"So does Harry," Cedric said, not turning back around. "He's the one that told me about them." He walked off, Lavi right next to him.

Puzzling over the Hogwarts student's behaviour and motive, Krum returned to his book. There, on the page he had just flicked over to, was the spell he wanted.

There was no-one to practise it on, so he merely committed the theory to memory and hoped that his aptitude for getting spells right first time wouldn't fail him against his dragon.

Krum paid little attention to anyone the next day, save his constant companion. The girls that simpered up to him with quills were brushed off nonchalantly as he prepared his mentality. It was him versus the dragon. If he kept his Quidditch mentality he would be fine. There was just no flying or teammates involved in this one.

Lunch came and went, with Krum eating very little while Allen inhaled his usual large portion. He ate slightly more than most people his size, but never seemed to gain weight. Krum envied his metabolism. Eventually, Karkaroff approached him and informed him that it was time to go to the Champion's tent.

"You know what you are doing?" he said urgently as they neared it. Krum nodded confidently, quelling the queasy feeling in his stomach. He was about to face a dragon. A real, fire-breathing, dragon.

Ludo Bagman welcomed him enthusiastically, and as he began to carve a pace out for himself around the tent he noticed that Harry was the only one not yet there. The present guards were huddled in a corner with Professor Nine – receiving last-minute instructions, no doubt.

Harry and Kanda entered a moment later and the Rosecross students went back to their respective champions.

It's longer than usual, yes, but I didn't want to split it in half purely because otherwise the chapters would be too short and Harry would get too much prominence again, which I'm attempting to avoid, which is why some of his section is slightly compressed. Cedric and Fleur will be next chapter.

Replies to Guest reviews:

0100203: I'm not asking you to write in English. As long as Google Translate keeps working I won't have a problem; I get reviews in French, too. Thanks for your review!

CoO: Thanks for the praise :D Good luck in High School (I'm English so I don't know what it's like compared to secondary school/sixth form here but I'm guessing the work's just as bad). Thanks for your review!

Thanks for reading!

Tsari