Chapter 35 – The First task
Lee stood in the stands, next to the twins. They seemed to care little about the champions, Lee found herself laughing as they cheered on each dragon. Cedric was first, up against a Swedish Short-snout. Lee had read about them in Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them. The dragon had beautiful silvery-blue scales, and breathed blue fire. The second was Fleur Delacour against a Common Welsh Green. Lee found it to be the saddest of all the attempts. The Champions had to get a golden egg, but Fleur had caused the dragon to smash some of her eggs. The Weasley twins laughed as Lee muttered a lot of names at Fleur. Third was Krum against a Chinese fireball, Leaving Harry... She gasped in horror as they brought out a Hungarian Horntail.
"A Hungarian Horntail! I thought you wanted to keep the Champions alive. Welsh greens are nice and calm most of the time. And you decide to bring the most dangerous of all dragons!" Lee yelled in rant. All the students and judges heard. Dumbledore was hiding an amused smile. "You could have brought a Peruvian Vipertooth, or even a Romanian Longhorn! Why didn't you just bring along a Norwegian Ridgeback why you were at it!" Hagrid seemed to be pleased that there was someone who knew dragons just as much as he did. Lee seriously feared for Harry's life, Horntails were deadly, their tails as deadly as their mouths.
But, despite no one really believing Harry would survive, he completes the task faster then the other champions.
"That was great Harry!" Lee ran to catch up with him, Ron and Hermione. "You beat one of the most deadly species of dragons! Oh, you're friends again." She smiled, looking between him and Ron.
"Yeah, seems you were right again Lee." Harry nodded with a smile.
"Congratulations Harry." A woman rushed forward, quill in hand. "Can I have a quick word?"
"Yeah, you can have a word. Good bye." The four of them passed her laughing.
The next day, Lee was relaxing in the kitchens, pouring over 'magical creature beyond British borders' again with a cup and tea pot full of chai. It had quickly become her favourite drink. She heard the picture opened.
"Harry Potter sir! Harry Potter!" Dobby cried, Lee turned to see Harry, Ron and Hermione. Dobby explained how he came to work at Hogwarts, before Ron noticed her.
"Lee?" He asked, she smiled and gave a small salute before turning back to her book and chai. The three friends were given arms full of treats by the house elves.
"How long have you known about the kitchens?" Hermione asked Lee suddenly.
"Since my second year, my common room is nearby, but I like to read quietly in here." Lee replied, taking a sip of Chai. "Allows me to avoid people when I want."
"That is cool. Where is your common room?" Ron asked.
"Not telling." Lee chuckled. "Only Hufflepuff's know, no outsides have ever gotten in."
"I bet we could.." ary muttered.
"Yeah, then I will finally be able to see the defence spell on it." Lee said
"You have a defence?" Hermione gasped
"Well, of course." Lee nodded. "Doesn't all common rooms?" The Gryffindor's shook their heads.
"We have a password, but people can easily let it slip." Harry said.
"Oh, well, yeah, we are pretty protective in Hufflepuff." Lee turned back to her book.
"Found anything about those Skerwts yet?" Ron looked over her shoulder.
"No, I know Hagrid said he bred them himself, but I thought at least someone may have done it before him…" lee muttered. An idea formed. "I have an idea, I need to speak to Hagrid, see you guys later." Lee finished her chai and gathered up her things before leaving the kitchens.
Lee knocked on Hagrid's door.
"oh, weren't expecting ya Lee. Ya found out where Skerwts come from?" Hagrid oped the door.
"No, that's why I think you have bred a new species of magical creature. You said you bred them yourself." Lee said
"That's right." He nodded
"From what creatures?" Lee asked
"Oh, a Manticore and a Fire crab." Hagrid replied. Lee thought about it for a moment.
"Can I write a paper on them? These are brand new creatures and a paper could help everyone understand them better. If I can find information on what its parents species eats, I could make a list and we could find out what the Skerwts eat." Lee smiled "My mandrakes paper failed, but seeing how the Skerwts are only babies at the moment, it would be easier to start a paper on them now. Can I? Please?"
"You're welcome too." Hagrid nodded, pleased with Lee's enthusiasm.
"Great! I will start right away. I am going to need to ask you some questions since the day they hatched until our first lesson. I can study their behaviour in class. Sleeping habits, eating habites, once I make that list… Oh, this is going to be great!" Lee grinned.
"Well, I can tell you one thing now, they enjoy fighting each other." Hagrid said.
"Maybe they are territorial." Lee muttered. "Right, I need to go to the library, see you later Hagrid, I'll send you an Owl when I stat the paper properly." Lee raced up towards the casle. "Don't let them kill each other." She yelled as she ran.